Toujours
by Stars137
Summary: Alexis Black has never had easy life being the son of notorious mass murderer Sirius Black but things go from bad to worse when his father escapes from Azkaban during his third year. Set during POA. RL/SB Slash.
1. Prologue: Sacrifices

Toujours

Prologue: Sacrifices

_31 October, 1981_

"_I don't have time to explain!!" Sirius knew he was shouting, but he didn't care. He had already lost Lily, James, and Harry; he wasn't going to lose them too. "Sirius why won't you tell me what's going on?" She was shouting now too, her beautiful face terrified and devoid of color. Sirius opened and closed his mouth several times, but said nothing._

_He couldn't bring himself to say it. He couldn't tell her what he had done. He couldn't tell her that he was responsible for the deaths of his two best friends. "It doesn't matter now, just please promise me you'll take care of him," Sirius said, a desperate note of pleading in his voice. He seized hold of her hands, gripping them as tight as he could. _

"_Please, promise me." She raised her sapphire gaze to meet his grey one then turned her gaze to the toddler sleeping on her sofa. When their eyes met again, she said softly without a moment's hesitation. "I promise." "No matter what happens?" Sirius pressed, tightening his already painful grip on her hands, his grey eyes wide and pleading. _

"_No matter what happens," she repeated, gripping his hands just as tight. His hands were cold and shaking. Sirius felt an immediate rush of relief at her words. He hated himself for doing this to them, but this was the only way he knew to keep them safe. Sirius reached out and yanked her into his arms, holding her close._

_He didn't have much time and he needed to say goodbye." I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," he whispered. She held him as tight as she could. "I love you; I love both of you so much." "I know, Sirius. I love you too."_

"_Take care of Remus, please take care of him too," he whispered pleadingly. "Of course I will," she promised. "Tell him I'm sorry, that I didn't mean for this to happen." "I will love." Slowly, they drew apart, never taking their eyes off each other. _

_She was strong, one of the strongest people Sirius had ever known. A survivor. She would be okay. He turned away from her then and walked over to the sofa, staring down at the sleeping child. As gently as he could, Sirius lifted the sleeping boy into his arms and held him close._

"_I'm sorry, I've never meant for this to happen. I love you, I love you so much. Please don't grow up to hate me," he whispered, stroking the sleeping toddler's soft black hair. The little boy stirred in his sleep and seemed to cuddle a little closer to him, his black hair tickling Sirius's cheek. In the moment, Sirius wasn't sure he could ever let him go. But in a slow, pained movement, Sirius laid the sleeping baby in her arms and hugged them both one last time. "I love you and I'm so sorry," he said softly one last time before rushing out of the flat and into the hall. _

_This is his last image of them, her standing in the doorway of her cracker box flat with him sleeping soundly in her arms. It is this image that haunts him for twelve long years. _


	2. Chapter 1: Life Goes On

Chapter One: Life Goes On

_**Twelve Years Later**_

Thirteen-year-old Alexis Black jerked awake to the sound of something tapping on his bedroom window. Alexis opened his startling eyes a crack and winced, pulling a pillow over his head. Golden August sunlight poured through a crack in the thick curtains that covered his bedroom window. It stung his grey eyes and made them water. Alexis was not a morning person.

Finally, unable to ignore the tapping any longer, Alexis got out of bed in a half-rolling, half-standing trick and flung open the curtains, recoiling slightly at the sudden burst of light. When he finally opened his eyes, Alexis found a disgruntled barn owl looking back at him. Alexis pushed open the window and owl fluttered in, landing on the back of his desk chair and held out a leg baring his Hogwarts letter. The owl hooted gratefully when Alexis untied the letter and flew back out the window, disappearing into the horizon. Leaving the window open, Alexis sat down on the edge of his bed to open the letter which he noticed was thicker than usual.

Tearing open the letter, Alexis withdrew the first sheet of parchment and read:

_Dear Mr. Black,_

_Please note that the new school year will begin on September the first. The Hogwarts Express will leave from King's Cross station, platform nine and three-quarters, at eleven o'clock,_

_Third years are permitted to visit the village of Hogsmeade on certain weekends. Please give the enclosed permission slip to your parent or guardian to sign._

_A list of books for next year is enclosed._

_Yours sincerely,_

_Professor M. McGonagall_

_Deputy Headmistress_

Alexis could've slapped himself. Hogsmeade! How could he have forgotten about Hogsmeade! He had been looking forward to visiting the village just beyond the school even since he was a small child. How could he not with the stories his father and aunt had been telling for as long as he could remember?

Alexis glanced at the picture of his father and aunt that sat on his desk which was pushed just under the window. The picture had been taken in winter and there were snowflakes falling gently from the grey sky above them. His father and aunt were standing outside a shop, probably either Zonko's or Honeyduke's. Students could be seen pouring in and out from the shop, but Alexis had eyes only for the two of them. The siblings had their arms around each other and were laughing at something out of frame.

His father's best friend had taken the picture. It was Alexis's favorite picture of the two of them. Alexis smiled softly, almost sadly at the pair. His aunt had been his age when the picture was taken; his father had only been three years older. They looked so happy, so innocent.

It hurt knowing what had happened to them a few short years later. Sighing heavily, Alexis pushed his sleep mussed hair from his face and got to his feet. Grabbing some clothes from the wardrobe, Alexis headed into the bathroom across the hall from his bedroom. A few minutes later, Alexis emerged showered and fully dressed from the bathroom and made his way as quietly as possible downstairs to the kitchen. The house was still and quiet making his light steps echo loudly in the heavy silence.

After saying his morning prayers, Alexis stepped from the living room into the sunlight filled French style kitchen. The kitchen was small but the light colors it was painted in gave it a warm, cozy feeling. Alexis opened a nearby cabinet and took down a battered copper kettle which he took to the sink and filled with water. The sound echoed loudly in the silent kitchen. Alexis placed the kettle on the stove and after nearly burning himself twice, finally managed to get the burner lit.

It would be four more years before he would be allowed to light it with his wand. This didn't bother him as much as it did some of his classmates. After all, Muggles managed just fine without magic so shouldn't they be able to do the same? Alexis took down a chipped mug from the cabinet and lifted down a small bag of potent smelling herbs. They tasted as strong as they smelled but at least they helped with the pain.

They were one of the few things that did. Grabbing the kettle from the stove with a dish towel before it started to whistle too loudly, Alexis poured the boiling water into the mug and returned the kettle to the stove. He would probably have to make more tea later. Alexis added the herbs and stirred them in thoroughly with a silver spoon adding a counterclockwise stir on every sixth stir. He wrinkled his nose as the water turned a sickly brown color.

Trying hard to ignore the pungent smell, Alexis took up the mug and padded silently back upstairs. He walked to the partially open door at the end of the hall and pushed it open silently, frowning worriedly at the sight he came upon. His father was sound asleep in bed and his overly pale skin had a sickly grayish tinge to it. He looked battered and washed out, like he was recovering from some terrible illness. And in a way, he was.

Although the new potion his aunt had been making for him allowed Alexis's father to keep his mind during his transformations, it did nothing to help ease the terrible pain they caused or alleviate the exhaustion. And while Alexis was gratefully his father no longer injured himself every month, he hated that he was still in pain. Alexis tentatively approached the bed and set the mug on the night table. He leaned down and gently brushed his father's soft brown hair away from his handsome but scarred face. His father stirred slightly in his sleep, his movements stiff and pained.

"Sirius?" he murmured softly. Alexis's heart clenched and he regarded his father sadly. "Dad, dad, wake up," he said softly. Slowly, Remus's tired amber eyes opened and struggled to focus on the person leaning over him. A small, weak smiled formed on his pale, cracked lips.

"Morning Alexis," he said weakly. "Morning dad, how are you feeling?" Alexis asked concernedly. "Cassie's potion worked fine, I'm just tired," Remus reassured him as he pushed himself into a sitting position. Alexis nodded, picking up the chipped mug from the night table. "Here, I made the tea for you," Alexis said as held the cup out to his father.

Remus smiled gratefully, deeply touched by the boy's concern and took the cup from him. "You didn't have to do that, I would have made it when I got up," he said. "I know, but you should stay in bed for awhile," Alexis said, laying his hand on Remus's forehead. "You look exhausted." Remus's tired smile deepened, "Thank you."

Alexis smiled and Remus's heart clenched painfully, even after all these years. They had the same smile. "You might not thank me when you drink it." Remus laughed weakly, taking a sip of the strong concoction and pulled a face at the bitter taste. Yet there was no denying the relief that it brought to his aching muscles and sore joints.

"There's still more herbs so I can make more later if you need it," Alexis said, sitting down on the bed. Remus nodded, downing the rest of the foul brew with a barely suppressed shudder. "Yes, I expect I will need some later, thank you Alexis," Remus said gratefully. Alexis nodded and smiled softly but worriedly at his father. Remus reached out and laid his hand atop Alexis's, gripping it as tight as his limited strength would allow.

His last transformation had been particularly bad. "I'm all right Alexis, really I am," Remus said. "I know, I just hate seeing you like this," Alexis said softly, sadly. Alexis would gladly feel it all for him if he could, in a second. Remus felt a surge of sorrow and love for the teenager sitting on his bed.

Alexis looked more and more like Sirius every day. Gods, they could've been twins expect with deliberate mistakes. Alexis hadn't inherited the Black family height, standing only about five foot five if even that. Whereas Sirius had been lithe, Alexis was thin in the extreme and could almost be called slight. His skin was chalky white as if he had never seen sunlight.

He had Sirius's straight, perfect, angular features and raven hair that fell in long, loose waves down to his shoulders. And his startling grey eyes were identical to those of his father. He wore a baggy black and white Led Zepplin baseball shirt that had once belonging to Sirius. The picture was faded and peeling, but it was still recognizable as the hunched hermit bearing a lantern. It had been Sirius's favorite shirt.

His baggy black jeans were loose fitting and nearly hid his battered black Converse. He also wore a lot more jewelry than Sirius ever had. Actually, he wore more jewelry than most women Remus had ever met. He wore a ring on each finger and there were various metal bangles, at least six on each of his arms. His right ear was pierced all the up with small silver rings and a silver ear cuff sends a spiral embossed with Celtic designs curling up Alexis's left ear.

Around his neck hung the silver pentacle Sirius had given him when he was Wiccaned, he also wore a heavy round silver pendant that hung on a slightly longer silver chain than the pentacle engraved with a wolf howling at the moon on one side and a massive dog running through a field on the other. Wincing slightly and ignoring Alexis's protests, Remus sat up and folded the teenager into his arms. He pressed the boy close, feeling tears burn in his eyes. Remus loved Alexis, he loved him so much, more than he had ever loved anyone but there no denying his resemblance to Sirius was very painful sometimes. Whenever Remus looked at Alexis he saw his oldest friend, this was both comforting and heart breaking.

Alexis could feel the pain and sadness coming off his father in waves and hugged him as tight as he could, laying his head on the werewolf's shoulder. Alexis could feel his father's sadness like it was physical pain. He felt so horribly bad for his father and wanted to do something to comfort him. But what could you say to comfort someone who had lost so much? "I love you," Alexis said softly.

Remus smiled, tightening his weak hold on Alexis. "I love you too," Remus said, pulling back slightly and smiling down at the child who was his in everything but blood. "You should get some sleep," Alexis said, regarding his father's overly pale skin and the bruise like circles under his eyes with concern. Remus nodded, smiling faintly. Alexis could be as stubborn as his aunt and father when he wanted to be and Remus knew him well enough to know he would not back down on this particular issue. He had always been very protective of Remus.

Remus settled back against the pillows while Alexis sat down beside him. He had every intention of sitting there until Remus fell asleep. Smiling sadly to himself, Remus thought of another person who so long ago used to do the very same thing. Soon, Remus drifted back off to sleep but Alexis remained beside him. Watching over him.

Alexis's gaze wandered to the three photographs on his father's bed stand. In one picture, Remus was holding a sleeping Alexis in his arms, rocking him gently. Alexis's small arms were wrapped around Remus's scarred neck and his small raven head rested on his shoulder. In another photo, his fathers and their two best friends, James Potter and Peter Pettigrew were standing with their arms around each other's shoulders and beaming happily. The picture had been taken in their last year at Hogwarts.

A few short years later, two were dead. One of his fathers had been left utterly alone and the other was locked up in what could easily be called hell on earth. And yet there they were just a few years earlier, smiling and laughing without a care in the world. That picture made Alexis feel so shredded, so broken hearted. He didn't know how his father could bear to have it so near.

The final photo was the only non-wizarding picture of the three. Alexis could only assume his aunt had taken it. She was the only one he knew who even had a Muggle camera. In it, his parents were sitting together on the grass near the edge of what looked like a small lake. The two men were a study in contrasts. Sirius wore a bedraggled black t-shirt bearing the legend The Clash, blue jeans that were in even worse shape and worn looking black Converse.

Remus wore a white button down shirt, faded brown cords and black boots. Sirius had one arm wrapped around Remus's waist and had his chin resting on the other man's shoulder. He was smiling broadly, looking as if there was nowhere else in the world he'd rather be. Remus was smiling shyly but was holding Sirius's hand tightly in his own. Alexis reached out and took the photo in his hand, gazing down at the pair in the photo.

They looked so happy together and so utterly in love with each other. Alexis stared at the picture for the longest time though he could see everything in it without having to looking at it. He stared at his father, whom he could remember always laughing and holding him in his arms. Alexis lightly touched the glass. "From the moment you were born, he never wanted to put you down," Remus had told him.

"He loved you more than anything else in the world." Remus didn't talk about his father often but when he did, Alexis could hear the mingled love and sorrow in his voice. They had loved each other very much, Alexis remembered that very clearly though he had only been two years old when his father had been arrested. And they loved him. Alexis sighed heavily and wiped the tears away before they fell.

How could anyone who knew them think his father could have possibly done what they said he had done?


	3. Chapter 2: The Lady in Black

Chapter Two: The Lady in Black

After waking briefly later that evening to drink some more of the herbal tea Alexis made for him, Remus slept for the rest of the day. The next time he awoke, it was morning once again. Remus stirred slowly and carefully stretched his still tender muscles, wincing as his aching joints and bones cried out in protest. He wondered briefly and sadly how long Alexis had stayed with him yesterday. It wouldn't have been the first time the teenager had sat with him all day and all night while he was recovering from a transformation.

It wasn't fair that Alexis should have to do that. Remus was the parent, not Alexis. He should be taking care of Alexis not the other way around. Remus hated that his lycanthropy was such on burden on Alexis. Sighing heavily, Remus climbed stiffly out of bed and went to take a hot shower.

After Remus had showered and dressed, he made his way slowly down the stairs. Although he was eternally grateful that the Wolfsbane potion allowed him to keep his mind, Remus wished it did something to help ease the pain. About half-way down the stairs Remus's wolf keen ears picked up the sound of someone in the kitchen. Alexis was probably cooking breakfast and since he had inherited his dismal cooking skills from his father and could make little more than burnt grilled cheese sandwiches this was never a good thing. Running a hand through his graying hair, Remus sighed and made his way down into the small kitchen.

It was not Alexis standing at the small stove cooking sausages but the lady in black herself Cassie Black. Upon hearing him enter, Cassie turned around and smiled warmly at her friend in greeting. They had the same smile. Not many people realized that. "Welcome back darling," Cassie said.

To put it simply, Cassie was beautiful, even Remus for whom women held no interest knew this. She was small and delicate looking, standing at only five feet tall, rail thin with moonlight white skin so pale it seemed almost translucent. She had long raven hair pulled back into a single braid and topped with a large silver butterfly ornament. Her face had a delicate, almost elfin beauty it. But easily the most startling thing about Cassie was her eyes; they were such a bright sapphire blue that they seemed almost iridescent.

As usual, Cassie was dressed from head to toe in black: a tank top bearing the words _Something Wiccan This Way Comes_ in cursive pink letters beneath a tiny pink pentacle, bedraggled and battered jeans, and scuffed combat boots. A rather heavy looking silver bracelet gleamed on her left wrist. Her left ear was pierced with three tiny silver hoops while a silver crescent moon and two tiny gold hoops hung from her right. A round gold locket a little bigger than a galleon embossed with a pentacle hung on an overly long gold chain around her neck gleamed brightly against her all black attire, hanging along side a silver hand of Fatima on a thin silver chain Remus had given her years ago after another summer journey with his parents in search of a cure that did not exist. She took up her gleaming black walking stick topped with a silver raven's claw holding a red crystal ball and approached her friend.

They never talked about what had caused the injury. It was an unspoken agreement between the two of them just as it had been between her and Sirius. Remus smiled warmly back and leaned down to hug his oldest friend. Cassie hugged him back with her free arm, cupping his scarred cheek in her free hand and examining his overly pale face critically.

She'd always been a worrier. "Rough night mate?" Cassie asked concernedly. "I didn't sleep well," Remus said truthfully. Cassie nodded understandingly, rubbing his arm comfortingly. "I'm sorry the potion doesn't help with the pain darling, truly I am," Cassie said earnestly.

"The tea helps, thank you for bringing the herbs over," Remus said as he sat down at the kitchen table. Cassie waved her hand dismissively, making her way back over to the stove to tend the food. "Did Alexis make it all right?" she asked over her shoulder. "Yes, thank the Gods he inherited your potion making skills. Speaking of Alexis, where is he?" Remus asked. Although Alexis was not usually a morning person he always came down when he heard Remus was awake.

"I sent him to the store to get some coffee for me." Remus stared at the younger woman in puzzlement. "Cassie, we have coffee," he said pointing to the can near her elbow. "I know that, I just thought it would do him some good to get outside. He doesn't get out enough," Cassie said, taking two plates down from a nearby cupboard.

She knew this kitchen as well as she knew her own. Remus sighed heavily and ran a hand through his graying hair. "I know Cassie, I know," he said tiredly as she set a plate of delicious smelling eggs, sausages, and potatoes before him. They always ate well when Cassie came over, which thankfully she did quite often. This was one of Remus's main worries about his son: that he didn't spend enough time with people his own age.

When he was at home, Alexis spent all his time with either Remus or Cassie. But when he was at school Remus suspected he spent most of his time alone even if the teenager told him otherwise. "I don't know why he doesn't have any friends his own age," Remus said as Cassie sat down adjacent him with her version of breakfast: a cup of coffee and a few pieces of toast. Cassie smiled almost wearily across the table at him, leaning forward on her arms. "Same reason you're my only friend," she said simply.

"Being Sirius Black's son is probably a hell of a lot harder then being his sister." Remus wanted to say she was wrong but deep down he knew she right. He stared at the woman across from him. She had been his rock these last twelve years, stood beside him during the darkest hours of his life and helped him learn to live again. Remus had been on a mission for the Order when it happened.

It was Mad-Eye Moody who had given him the news. He had Apparated to Godric's Hollow the moment the famed Auror had finished his sentence, still refusing to believe what had happened, though knowing in his heart of hearts that if Mad-Eye had been able to tell him the location of his best friend's home that the unthinkable had happened. There was already a crowd gathered by the time he got there in spite of the pouring rain, blocking the tiny cottage from view. People were sobbing and holding onto each other for dear life but still Remus refused to believe it. Nothing could have prepared him for the sight of the ruins that had once been Lily and James's beautiful home.

Remus wasn't sure, even twelve years later, when he started screaming or when he started running forwards towards the pile of bricks and rubble. If he reached the cottage, he could save them. If he reached the cottage he could undo it. Although she must have called out to him, Remus never heard her. He didn't even realize she was there until those thin, fragile fingers closed around wrist with strength that belied their delicacy.

It stopped him in his tracks, these breakable fingers around his wrist. He stopped so abruptly that he nearly slipped in the mud on the ground. And at last, her voice reached him. "There's nothing you can do Remus, they're gone." Remus's heart stopped and his blood ran cold.

He turned to look at her and had he not been so numb, he was sure her appearance would have shocked him. She was soaked to the skin, her hair was an unbound, tangled mess and she wore her trench coat over a pair of black pajamas, the bottoms of which as well as her unlaced Converse were splattered with mud. Her already unnaturally pale face was bloodless and devoid of color while her sparkling eyes were bright with unshed tears. Remus hadn't seen her cry since Regulus died. There was only one reason she would have been crying.

Lily and James were dead.

Remus had broken down and cried as he had never cried in his life. He had never cried that hard before or since. She pulled him into her arms and held onto him like her life depended on it, letting him cry into her shoulder. "They're gone," she whispered, running her thin fingers through his hair. She never cried, she just let him cling to her and cry until he had nothing left.

Remus had never understood how strong she was until that moment. Sirius had understood her strength. He knew that if something happened to him, his sister would carry on. Not because she didn't care, no, she loved Sirius more than anyone else in the world. Hell, she had been proclaiming his innocence since day one and petitioned the Ministry yearly to give him a trial.

She never made any headway and earned no friends or supporters in process but she was steadfast in her belief in her older brother's innocence and didn't give a damn what anyone else thought of her. "From where I stand now, I can see enough of the road to know what we have to do," she had told him after Lily and James had been laid to rest. "We have to carry on, Alexis needs us. We have to learn to live again." They couldn't lose themselves self-pity and despair, not while there someone who needed them. She had helped him see that, to carry on in spite of the pain. Yes, the three of them had carried on and learned to live again. But Gods it had hurt.

Taking a sip of his tea, Remus regarded Cassie thoughtfully. Though she looked no older than she had that terrible night, her sapphire eyes belied the youth and innocence of her beautiful face. The still exuded the same intelligence, humor and love they had since the day he met her. Though now they seemed fainter and haunted. She had had seen far too much tragedy in her life, lost too much.

Cassie's eyes were very old. "Knut for your thoughts?" Cassie said, taking a sip of her coffee. Remus smiled wanly and waved his dismissively. "Just wondering where Alexis is," he said easily. Cassie smiled faintly and shook her head; looking so much like her brother it was both startling and heartbreaking.

"You worry too much Remus," she teased good naturedly, "he just went to the corner market, he'll be back in a few minutes." No sooner had the words left her mouth then the front door opened. "Cassie I got the coffee!" Alexis called from the living room. "Stop shouting and get in here and eat your breakfast before it gets cold!" Cassie called back though she was grinning at Remus who chuckled warmly. A moment later, Alexis entered the kitchen with a single plastic shopping bag in hand.

The second he saw his father was awake and looking much better than he had been yesterday, Alexis's face immediately lit up and he rushed forward to hug the weary man sitting at the table. Remus smiled faintly and hugged his son back just as tight. "Here Cassie," Alexis said, handing his aunt the plastic bag when he and Remus drew apart. "Thanks Alexis, I take back most of the things I said about you," Cassie said with a grin. Alexis laughed and stuck out his tongue childishly before taking his place beside Remus.

"This looks great Cassie, thank you," Alexis said gratefully, immediately tucking into his food after prayers had been said. "The way you eat you'd think I never feed you," Remus said, smiling over at the teenager. "You do, but Cassie cooks better," Alexis pointed out and Remus laughed. "I would have to agree with you on that," Remus said in agreement. Cassie simply smiled and raised her mug slightly.

"How are things at the shop?" Remus asked. Although Cassie had her teaching credential from the Ministry, she had been running an occult bookshop for the last twelve years. Given the amount of N.E. and O.W.L.s she had, not to mention that she had received a Mastery in Potions at eighteen, it seemed like a rather strange career choice to Remus. But Cassie was happy so that was all that mattered. "Wonderful. I just got a bunch of handmade candles in from Bristol and I'm going to have some free time next week so I thought I'd pop down to museum and see the new Renoirs they just got in," Cassie said excitedly.

Remus smiled slightly, glad art brought her at least some happiness. "Can we come with you?" Alexis asked. Where he got his love of art, Remus had no idea. Sirius thought art was boring and as far as he knew Alexis's mother hadn't had much interest in the arts. "If it's okay with your father," Cassie said with an approving smile.

Alexis immediately glanced over at Remus who smiled and nodded before Alexis had the chance to voice his question. "We can visit Cassie after we get your school things next week," Remus said. He could vaguely remember Alexis saying something about having gotten his letter yesterday after he had awakened to have his second cup of tea. "You got your booklist?" Cassie asked and Alexis nodded. "What extra subjects are taking again?" Cassie asked as she took another sip of her coffee.

"Divination and Ancient Runes," Alexis said as he picked up his plate as well Remus's and carried them to the sink. "I wish you had chosen a more useful subject than Divination," Remus said helping himself to another cup of tea while Alexis did the dishes. "Don't listen to him Alexis, Divination is a very useful subject. Hell, half my record collection was bought with fortune telling money," Cassie said, shooting her nephew a grin as Remus shook his head wearily. "Fine, as a means of procuring various Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd records, Divination is a useful subject," Remus said causing both Cassie and Alexis to burst out laughing. For all his resemblance to Sirius, Alexis didn't laugh like him.

If anything, he sounded a bit like Regulus when he laughed. Although Remus had only heard Sirius's perpetually unhappy younger brother laugh once or twice, Remus was sure that's how he sounded. As per their usual custom, Cassie spent the entire day at the townhouse with her friend and nephew. Alexis showed his aunt the various drawings he had done since the last time he had seen her and asked her opinion on them. Although Cassie didn't draw herself, she spent nearly all her free time in the company of the great masters of art so her advice was as good as anyone's.

Where he had gotten his talent, Remus had no idea. Remus smiled softly, almost sadly as he watched the two of them. In some ways, it was like looking through a mirror to the past. Cassie and Alexis were sitting side by side on the same sofa where so long ago Cassie had sat laughing with her older brother. The Cassie before him was so different from the woman who sat before him.

She wasn't the ever joking, laughing girl she had been back then. In truth, Remus didn't think he had seen her smile; really smile, in many years. Cassie had carried on because that's what needed to be done. She kept living because there were people that needed her. But she never really moved on.

Remus would give anything to have her back the way she was. As he watched Cassie, Remus wondered vaguely if she thought the same thing about him. Maybe. Probably. He too was not the same person he had been back then.

They had both lost a part of themselves that night. A part they would never get back. After the three of them spent a rather enjoyable day together, Cassie helped Remus prepare dinner but declined the invitation to stay. She never stayed for dinner. Remus suspected this was partly because she no longer ate dinner herself.

After Cassie had hugged Alexis goodbye and retrieved her pale blue cloth trench coat from the coat rack, Remus walked her to the door. The two old friends stood on the stone steps of the old London townhouse, gazing at the orange sky that was bruised with blue in the horizon. "You shouldn't smoke," Remus said as Cassie placed one of her foul smelling clove cigarettes between her lips and lit it with the silver lighter that had once belonged to Regulus Black. He had been telling her that for the last ten years. "Yeah, probably not," Cassie said, taking a long drag off the black cigarette.

She had been telling him that for the last ten years. Remus smiled wearily and shook his head. At least she was polite about it. Whenever he had told Sirius to stop smoking he had usually been told to sod off. "I'll see you later, Remus," Cassie said, leaning up to kiss him on his scarred cheek.

Cassie never said goodbye anymore, it was too final she said. Remus nodded and folded the slight witch into his arms, holding her close. The neighbors thought they were a couple but neither of them cared. "Take care of yourself Cassie," he said meaningfully as they drew apart. Cassie chuckled slightly and nodded before carefully descending the steps and setting off into the gathering darkness.

Remus remained on the steps and continued staring after her long after she had vanished into a crowd of people and disappeared from sight. When he went back inside, Alexis had ladled the delicious smelling vegetable soup into two bowls and was sitting at the table waiting for his father. "Is she gone?" Alexis asked. Remus nodded as he took his usual place beside his son. "She's probably in Soho by now," he replied as he pulled his bowl to him.

After prayers were said, the two ate in a comfortable silence for several minutes before Alexis finally spoke again. "She's not happy is she?" Alexis asked, raising his startling gaze to meet Remus's amber one. For someone so young he was very observant. "No love, I don't think she is," Remus said honestly.

* * *

Inside her cracker box flat, Cassie kicked off her boots and flopped back onto her bed, grateful to have the pressure off her knee. The dull pain came and went from time to time even though seventeen years had passed. It probably always would. Smoking her second cigarette, Cassie stared up at the water damaged ceiling above her. It had needed painting for thirteen years.

Cassie blew several smoke rings into the air, a skill she had learned from watching Sirius all those years ago. Well, if she hadn't painted it in thirteen years ago, she probably wasn't going to do it any time soon. It didn't really bother her anymore anyway. Or maybe she just didn't care anymore. And as she ground out her cigarette in the overflowing ashtray on the night table, Cassie wasn't sure which was worse.

* * *

Miles away from London where Remus and Alexis were finishing their meal and Cassie was staring up at her ceiling contemplating who she had become; a black shape was emerging from the churning dark waters of the North Sea. A moment later, a massive bear like dog that was little more than a bag of bones covered by mattered black fur emerged from the sea and collapsed in exhaustion onto the cold wet sand.


	4. Chapter 3:When the World for Collapses

Chapter Three: When the World Collapses

In the lonely hour that came just before dawn when it was neither night nor day, Cassie jerked awake. The moment she spotted the silver framed photographs grouped on her night table, Cassie realized it was only a dream. The fact that it was just a dream was of little comfort to her. It never was.

Cassie sat up and brushed her sweat soaked raven hair from her tired eyes. She leaned back against the hard wooden headboard of her bed, taking hold of the edge of the emerald drapes that covered her window and pulled them back a bit. The lights of London shimmered brightly, though faintly in the fading darkness. The sky was lighting and soon it would be day. Cassie sighed heavily and flopped back down against the pillows.

She hasn't had a good night sleep in twelve years. Sighing heavily, Cassie sat up once more and groped for her walking stick which was propped against her night table. Leaning rather heavily on her walking stick as the pain was always worse in the morning; Cassie made her way slowly over to her closet and grabbed some clothes without really looking before heading into the bathroom. After she emerged showered and dressed, Cassie took up her walking stick once more and made her way into the living room. It was like an ice box in the morning.

Pointing her wand at the fireplace, Cassie instantly conjured a roaring fire which quickly warmed the small flat. Leaning her walking stick against the moth eaten sofa, Cassie knelt before the altar to the God and Goddess. She lit the two white tapers and a stick of incense before bowing her head in prayer. Silently, she asked the God and the Goddess for guidance and that she would do their work honorably. She also asked the spirits of those who had come before her to watch over and protect her and her family.

"Blessed be," Cassie muttered softly, snuffing out the two candles and leaving incense to burn itself out. Wincing heavily, Cassie got slowly to her feet once more. After she straightened, Cassie caught sight of her reflection in the heavy mother of pearl mirror hanging over the fireplace and froze. And for a moment she can barely recognize overly pale, drawn visage of the broken woman looking back at her. But the moment passes a second later.

Tearing her gaze away from the ugly mirror she contemplates throwing away at least a dozen times a year, Cassie made her way into the small kitchenette just off the living room. Flipping on the coffee maker, Cassie sat down at the scrubbed wooden table to wait for her owl while Salazar, the scarred white cat that once been Regulus's hopped up onto her lap and began purring loudly. Cassie reached down and scratched his soft head. No sooner had she sat down when her white owl Jareth flew in through the small kitchen window. Jareth dropped the Morning Prophet on the table and landed on the table before his owner. Cassie smiled and stroked the bird's soft feathers.

The owl hooted affectionately before flying over to his cage. Chuckling softly, Cassie unrolled the paper and found a man staring back at her. Although twelve years in the worst place on earth had made him unrecognizable, Cassie would know him anywhere no matter how years had past and what horrors had befallen him. And for several moments, Cassie found she could not move or speak. All she could was gaze down into the sunken eyes of her brother.

* * *

It was the shouting that woke him. Well, not shouting really. His father and aunt never shouted. But now they talking loader then Alexis had ever heard them speak before. Alexis sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes as the exhaustion faded and the worry arose.

He slipped quietly from his bed and put his sock covered feet into his battered Converse without bothering to lace them up. Alexis made his way as quietly as he could into the hall. Their voices were getting louder and louder. When Alexis began making his way down the stairs, he could hear every word they were saying. And this did little to put him at ease.

"What are we going to do?" his father was saying, his voice anxious and tight. "What else can we do?" Cassie said, though her voice was as serene and calm as always there was an underlying worry in her tone. "You know what will happen if we don't. They'll take him from us faster than you can say 'Quidditch'." Alexis felt the bottom drop out his stomach and his blood ran cold. They were talking about him.

Oh Gods, had someone found out about what they were doing? Was the Ministry going to take him away? Alexis descended the stairs at last and crept towards the sitting room. The sight he came upon did nothing to reassure him. His father was seated on the couch holding his head in his hands like a burden looking as pale as if he had endured another transformation.

Cassie was on her feet, pacing back and forth in front of the fireplace. Her beautiful face was overly pale and drawn, her eyes filled with a mixture of worry and a desperate sorrow and her hair was free from it's usual braid and fell down in back in a mess of wet tangles. Alexis had never seen his aunt who was so strong and so brave looking so scared and the sight terrified him. "Dad?" Alexis said as he stepped fully into the living room. Two heads snapped in his direction, both staring at him in a mixture of surprise and worry.

The sight was almost comical. "What's going on?" Alexis asked, taking a step closer. Cassie and Remus shared a look and Alexis wondered as he had many times in the past if they could somehow communicate telepathically. "He has a right to know," Remus said finally and Cassie nodded. Alexis braced himself for the horrible news to come but rather than speaking, his aunt picked up the newspaper from the coffee table and handed it to him.

Puzzled, Alexis glanced down at the front page and found a man staring back at him. The man was looked wasted and frail with a tangle a raven hair that hung to his elbows. In fact, if it were not for the gleaming eyes staring up at him, Alexis would've thought the man was a corpse. Alexis knew those eyes. They were his eyes.

A quick glance at the headline confirmed the sinking feeling in his chest. _**BLACK ESCAPES FROM AZKABAN.**_

* * *

Even after all these years, she was still his first thought. The moment Severus had unfolded the paper and seen Black's wasted face staring back at him his first thought was not disbelief or even anger which he expected, no, it was her. It had been almost a decade since they had seen each other face to face but the moment he set eyes on Black, he thought of her. There had always been a faint resemblance between them, as much as Severus liked to pretend there wasn't. They both had the same perfect aristocratic features and raven hair so dark it looked like a hole cut in reality.

_Though no one would be able to tell that now,_ he thought as he gazed down at Black's corpse like face. Severus expected to feel a sense of satisfaction at this thought but was surprised to find there was none. All he could think about was her standing in that door way, her beautiful face was a black and blue mess devoid of what little color she had and looking so utterly broken and lost yet defiant and strong all at the same time. Although they had seen each other several times since the day after Black's arrest, each time had been utter agony for Severus. And finally, he could do it any longer.

He expected her to be angry, to rail at him and hate him for what he was doing to her after all she had already suffered and he had already done to her. And he wouldn't have blamed her if she had. But instead she had smiled at him from across the table. They had the same smile, not even Severus had been able to deny that. She had started smoking by then and the smoke from her cigarette circled her head like a misshapen halo.

No, she hadn't been angry. She was never angry. Instead she had nodded and said she understood, grinding out her cigarette in the ashtray as she got to her feet. He had started to apologize but she merely waved his words away and reassured him that she wasn't angry nor did she blame him. "They all leave you sooner or later, it's just a matter of when," she said with a faint smile.

There was no sadness in her voice as she said this, just a resigned weariness of one accustomed to loss. Then she had kissed him on the cheek and walked away. Severus hadn't seen her since. But the letters came eight times a year, one on each Sabbat. Although Severus did not subscribe to the same religious theory she did, or any for that matter, he admired her dedication.

She still considered him her friend, even after all that had transpired between them. _There was much to be said_, Severus thought, _for that kind of loyalty._ Gazing down at Black, who was nearly unrecognizable as his childhood tormentor, Severus wondered just how deep that loyalty ran.

* * *

It was the sound of the cup hitting the ground and shattering that brought Ted into the kitchen. The second he saw her face, he something terrible had happened. Andromeda stood at the sink as though frozen, her face was devoid of color and her hands were shaking as if she were freezing. The fragile china tea cup was in fragments at her feet and the Daily Prophet was clutched in her hand. "Meda, Meda, what's wrong?" he asked, coming to stand beside his wife.

Andromeda didn't say a word; she just gazed up at him looking as terrified as she had that Halloween night so many years ago. Ted pried that crumpled paper from her hand and smoothed it out as best he could. And found the wasted face of Sirius Black staring back at him.

* * *

Narcissa lifted the heavy oval shaped silver frame down from her bookshelf, handling it as if it was the most fragile of butterflies. It was the only picture she had of them together. Sitting down on the chaise lounge, Narcissa gazed down at the picture in her shaky pale hands. Bella looked haughty and proud, her beautiful face not quite masking the cold cruelness in her grey eyes. Her strong hand was on Annie's shoulder, gripping her as if trying to keep the younger girl in her place.

Annie's beautiful face is twisted into a strangled smile that looks utterly painful. She was so unhappy, even then. Looking back, Narcissa wonders if Annie was ever happy with them. Narcissa looked at herself, holding Annie's hand and beaming. A fairy princess all dressed in white.

She had been happy, blissfully, ignorantly happy. Well, perhaps ignorant was too strong a word. Innocent may have been a more accurate term. Sirius was standing beside her, looking handsome and utterly uncomfortable while Regulus simply looked lost and lonely, even surrounded by family. Cassie was between her brothers, easily the shortest of the group and looking like a beautiful china doll in a velvet emerald dress, gripping their hands in hers so hard that her tiny knuckles had turned white.

None of them were smiling. They weren't even bothering to fake it like Annie. Maybe they simply couldn't bring themselves to do it. Narcissa could still see the two of them so clearly, Sirius and Cassie. She could see the sadness on their faces, the pain in their eyes even when they were smiling.

The desperate pleading way they looked at people. She could still see the bruises hidden beneath long sleeves. The split lips and blackened eyes. She had seen the aftermath the night Sirius had left for good. Debris from broken furniture and shattered glass covered the floor.

Bloody handprints that stood out livid and ugly on the emerald walls. Regulus, sporting a large and badly bleeding cut on his forehead was standing in the foyer looking so shaken and pale it was a wonder he was even still standing. There was blood on the floor, a lot of it. Narcissa had never seen so much blood. And for one terrible moment she thought he'd killed one or both of them.

But there she was, sitting on the steps with an unsettling casualness almost as if she were simply waiting for the Knight Bus. Her robes were in tatters and spotted with blood. She had looked up when she heard Narcissa's footsteps and smiled. Her beautiful face was so bruised it was a wonder she could do such a thing. And yet there she sat on the steps amidst the debris, bloody, battered and smiling.

Narcissa didn't realize she was crying until her tears fell onto the glass and blurred the youthful faces.

* * *

When the two Aurors left, Remus sank tiredly onto the thread bare sofa. Remus had been expecting them, as a known friend of Sirius Black and a werewolf he was likely to be questioned about the recent escape. John Dawlish, one of the Aurors that questioned Remus seemed rather skittish and nervous about being in the company of a known werewolf. Remus nearly lost his temper with the man several times when he had tried to twist around everything Remus was saying into an admission of guilt. As if he had sensed Remus was about to say something very stupid Kingsley Shacklebolt, the Auror heading the search for Sirius, had taken over the questioning.

Kingsley seemed like a fair, objective person but was also very dedicated to recovering the escaped prisoner. He was also one of the men who arrested Sirius twelve years ago. Sighing heavily, Remus lowered his head into his hands and held it like a burden. He hadn't felt this lost or utterly helpless in twelve years. Sirius had escaped from Azkaban.

Even as Remus was sitting there trying to make sense of what had happened, Sirius was out there somewhere. As much as Remus tried to deny it, he hoped that wherever he was that Sirius was all right.

And he hated himself for it.


	5. Chapter 4: Lost Souls

Chapter Four: Lost Souls

As far back as Alexis could remember his aunt had lived here in this small but spotlessly clean flat with the brightly colored furniture. The walls were covered in prints of Salvador Dali's paintings and potted plants hung near the windows. And for as long as he could remember, the flat had looked this way. Alexis was sitting the overstuffed green sofa with a sleeping Salazar on his lap, holding the Daily Prophet in his hands. He couldn't stop staring at his father's face.

He was almost unrecognizable as the laughing man in the photographs Alexis had seen of him. His skin was shallow and his face was wasted, making him look fragile and breakable. Only the grey eyes he had passed onto his only child were the same. But now, rather being filled with warmth and laughter they were filled with unbearable anguish. If it wasn't for his eyes, Alexis wouldn't have recognized his own father and this bothered him deeply.

This was his father; Alexis should have been able to recognize him no matter how many years had passed. Alexis's attention was so fixed on the paper in his hands that he didn't notice his aunt returning to the living room. He didn't register she was there until he felt her sit down beside him. Alexis looked over at his aunt, his father's only living sibling. "I didn't even recognize him," Alexis said softly.

Cassie regarded the tormented boy beside her in a mixture of sorrow and understanding. "Don't blame yourself for that," she said gently, laying a hand on his arm. "You were two years old the last time you saw him darling." Her sapphire flickered to the paper in her nephew's hands, feeling a pang of sadness for her oldest brother. "And twelve years in the worst place on earth is bound to change even the most innocent of people," she added softly, bitterly.

"You knew who he was the second you saw him," Alexis pointed out, his eyes filled with barely concealed pain. Gazing into the eyes that were so like her brother's, Cassie tenderly cupped Alexis's face in her bony hands. "It's so cruel that I got so much time with Sirius and you so little," she said softly. "I'm glad he escaped," Alexis confessed quietly knowing it was the only time he will ever be able to say such a thing out loud. Cassie smiled faintly and nodded.

"So am I," she said, smoothing the hair from Alexis's eyes before releasing him. For the longest time the two simply sat there in silence watching Blade Runner on the telly. Cassie was the only person Alexis knew that had a television but he didn't think she had always had one. His father often joked that she got the TV simply so she could watch David Bowie on MTV. But Alexis suspected she liked having the television because having it on made the flat seem less empty.

"You can smoke if you like," Alexis said half way through the movie he wasn't really watching. He could tell she wanted to because she was picking at her sleeve; she always did that when she wanted to have a smoke. "That's all right," Cassie said dismissively. "I won't tell dad," he pressed. His father hated it when Cassie smoked in front of him.

Cassie laughed and shook her head, withdrawing a battered pack of cigarettes from her jean pocket. "Dad smoked, right?" Alexis asked as she lit the black cigarette with her silver lighter. Cassie nodded, snapping her lighter shut. "He stopped after you were born." Cassie lay back against the broad sofa and blew several smoke rings into the air.

Alexis watched her do this for several moments before turning his gaze to the small upright piano pushed up against wall beneath _The Metamorphosis of Narcissus._ Although the instrument, like everything else in the flat was spotlessly clean, it had an air of disuse about it as if no one played it in years. And indeed, no one had. Cassie hadn't played the piano or anything for that matter in years. The only time she had ever even picked up an instrument was when she taught Alexis guitar three years ago.

She used to play all time, Alexis remembered. Most of his earliest memories of her were of her either sitting at that piano or playing her battered acoustic guitar. The guitar she had given to him. "Did you stop playing after dad got arrested?" he asked. "Yes," Cassie said, flicking some ashes into a nearby ashtray.

Alexis stared at his aunt in surprise, he had expected to deny she had done any such thing and was slightly taken aback. "Why?" "When you lose people, priorities change and playing just didn't seem as important as it used to," Cassie said tiredly. Alexis regarded the woman beside him in silence, trying to reconcile the woman she'd become with the woman she'd been and found he was unable to it. "It must've hurt," Alexis began slowly, "when you lost dad."

"It was like someone ripped my heart out and left me here to bleed," Cassie said, grinding her cigarette out rather viciously. "I wouldn't wish that kind of pain on my worst enemy and that mon ami is saying something." _And yet,_ Alexis thought, _you carried on and you helped dad do the same._ It was amazing really, the things people gave up for love. The bridges they burned and the enemies they made, all for someone they loved.

"Do you regret any of it?" Alexis asked suddenly. "Any of what?" "You know, all the things you've given up because you believe dad is innocent," Alexis clarified. Cassie shifted slightly so that they were facing, her sapphire eyes bearing into his grey ones. "I don't regret a damn thing I've ever done," Cassie said simply.

"The only thing I regret is what I've become."

* * *

Alexis was already asleep by the time Remus arrived at the flat but Cassie was still wide awake. She was sitting cross legged on the sofa and had just started smoking her third cigarette of the day when Remus stepped out of the grate and brushed the ashes from his jeans. "Did they come?" she asked and Remus nodded, sinking wearily down beside her on the sofa. "They'll probably come here next," Remus said. "Probably," Cassie agreed.

"Cass, if they try to take you--" Cassie snorted, "I'd love for them to try. Thirty-year-old women are a lot harder to take than grieving eighteen-year-old girls." "If they try to take you use the mirror to call me," Remus said imploring. "Crouch is gone Remus and his predecessor would never be so stupid as to haul me into the Ministry," Cassie said reasonably. Remus shook head wearily and ran a hand through his graying hair.

"Fear makes people very foolish Cassie," he said tiredly. "So does power," Cassie pointed out, the anger still evident in her voice after all these years. "Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely," Remus sighed. "Besides, I'm a hell of a lot meaner than I was then," Cassie said with a grin as Remus smiled slightly and shook his head. "You are really something else Cassie."

"So they tell me." "Is Alexis all right?" Remus asked. "He's fine darling but he wants to go home. You're his father and he belongs with you," Cassie said. Remus sighed again and rubbed his temples. He could already feel a headache coming on.

"You're his godmother Cassie, you're his legal guardian. I have no claim to him either legal or biological," Remus said with the exhausted air of a man who'd had this conversation one too many times. "According to the law he's not even suppose to be living with me because of my lycanthropy." Cassie reached out and seized one of his hands in hers. Her hands were so much smaller than his, her fingers long and brittle. _Rather like a grindylow's fingers,_ Remus thought, _strong and brittle all at once. _He could feel the familiar scar beneath his fingers.

"You've been his father, loved him, since the day he was born and in my book that means a lot more than what those idiots at the Ministry say," Cassie said darkly. Remus smiled softly, gratefully and gripped her hand tightly. He loved her beyond words in that moment. "If they found out he's been living with me all these years they'll take him from both of us," Remus said softly. "I'd love to see them try," Cassie said just as softly, though there was a deadly edge in her voice.

Remus didn't say anything; he just gripped her hand tightly. "Don't worry about it Remus," Cassie said finally. "No one is going to find out." "How can you be so sure?" Remus asked. Thin fingers gently turned his face towards hers so that their eyes met.

"Because darling we're just two lost souls swimming in a fishbowl, there's no one either of us is close enough to to know what's going on," Cassie said with a soft, almost sad smile. Hearing the fact voiced aloud, made Remus's heart clench. For the last twelve years it had been just the two of them and Alexis. Cassie was the only friend Remus had left and Remus was the only one who stood beside her. They had been left behind to deal with the loneliness and the regret that come along with losing those they loved the most.

And in that moment, sitting there in the darkened flat lit only by candles on an altar to a faith he was not even sure he believed in anymore beside the only friend he had left in the world, Remus had never felt that pain more.


	6. Chapter 5: Pieces Kept Locked Away

Chapter Five: Pieces Kept Locked Away

The first thing Alexis saw when he emerged from his aunt's fireplace into Diagon Alley was his father's face. There was a wanted poster in every shop window and dozens covering the stone walls between each shop. Alexis had to quickly smother the urge to rip down every one of those posters and tear them to pieces. In retrospect, it was probably best that his aunt hadn't come with him today because she would have ripped the posters down and torn them to pieces. That morning Cassie had given Alexis a rather heavy bag of money from his vault and said he would have to do his school shopping on his own because there something she needed to do and since it was best if he and his father weren't seen together until suspicion waned slightly, Alexis didn't have much choice.

Although Alexis had asked her several times what she needed to do, Cassie had simply smiled mysteriously and shook her head. Still wondering what on earth his aunt was doing back at her flat, Alexis began making his way to Florish and Blots. Along the way, Alexis heard snatches of conversation all around him and it seemed to him everyone was talking about Sirius Black. Alexis nearly shouted at several people when he overheard them suggest that when Sirius was caught he should be given the Dementor's Kiss. Alexis shivered at the thought, wrapping his black trench coat more tightly around himself.

No one deserved that, no matter what they'd done and it was particularly horrible to imagine his father meeting that fate. Alexis was so lost in his own thoughts that he didn't notice he had reached Florish and Blots until he nearly walked into a display of cook books. Alexis thought the shop owner was going to cry with happiness when he said he wasn't taking Care of Magical Creatures. And when Alexis saw the books snapping and biting at each other in the bird cage, he could certainly understand why. After he had gotten his new books and picked up some more potions supplies and owl treats for his owl Persephone, Alexis (along with everyone else it seemed) stopped at Quality Quidditch Supplies to admire the new Firebolt.

It was really a magnificent broom and probably cost more than everything he owned combined. Still, Alexis had had his Comet 260 for the last five years and was happy with it. Alexis had been thinking about trying out for the House Team this year. Alexis was a fairly good flyer and had loved Quidditch ever since he was a small child. He, his father and his aunt went to see the Irish National Team (his aunt's favorite team) play two years ago.

Although Ireland had lost the game in question, Alexis had never had so much fun. His uncle had played Seeker on the Slytherin House team when he was at school and according to his aunt had been quite good. Alexis had never known Regulus Black; his father's younger brother as he had died shortly before he was born. His aunt had played Chaser on the Slytherin team during her second year but was forced to stop because of the injury to her knee. Even though she had been unable to play anymore, Cassie remained an avid Quidditch fan.

Neither of his fathers had ever played Quidditch on their house team but Sirius had been an avid fan of the game. Once he had grown weary of the crowd outside the Quidditch shop, Alexis decided to stop at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor for something to eat. And to his surprise, Harry Potter, Alexis's fellow Gryffindor third year was sitting outside the ice cream parlor eating a very delicious looking hot fudge sundae. Alexis had known Harry since they had met in the Entrance Hall while waiting for the Sorting to begin but he wouldn't really call them friends though if things had turned out differently they probably would have been as their parents had been best friends. Most of his fellow classmates, those who were aware of who Alexis's father was anyway, were always rather cold to him and he was generally left to his own devices. In truth, Alexis didn't have any friends but it didn't really bother him as much as it should have.

Still, Harry had always been nice to him as had his friend Hermione Granger, who, like Alexis was top in their year. But Alexis had the feeling that was all going to change this year. After all, Alexis was son of the man who had allegedly betrayed Harry's parents to Voldemort. The man who was also Harry's godfather. So naturally, Alexis was quite surprised when Harry glanced up and grinned when he saw Alexis standing there laden with shopping bags.

"Oy, Alexis!" Harry called out to his fellow Gryffindor and motioned for Alexis to join him at the table. Puzzled, Alexis walked over and sat down across from Harry, setting his bags on the chair beside him. The chair on the other side of Harry was also laden with shopping bags. "Hey Alexis, how has your summer been?" Harry asked. "All right, yours?" Alexis replied.

He had never been more confused in his entire life. Why was Harry being so nice to him? Why wasn't he angry? Harry immediately launched into the story of how he had accidentally blown up his aunt, been picked up by the Knight Bus, and was now staying at the Leaky Cauldron. Although he was still confused about Harry's attitude towards him and why his relatives had given him up so easily, Alexis laughed and shook his head.

"If I ever blew up my aunt it would probably be the last thing I ever did because when she got back she'd kill me," Alexis said with a grin and Harry laughed. "What extra subjects are you taking?" Harry asked. "I'm taking Divination and Care of Magical Creatures." "Divination and Ancient Runes," Alexis replied, showing Harry his rather hefty Ancient Runes textbook which made the latter very glad he was not taking the class. The two spent the next few minutes having a very pleasant, albeit mundane conversation about school, Quidditch, their new classes and of course the magnificent Firebolt until it was time for Alexis to head back to his aunt's flat where he was staying until school started.

After saying goodbye to Harry, Alexis made his way back towards the public grates. Sirius Black never once came up in their conversation. Why would Harry not mention him at all? _Unless,_ Alexis thought as he waited his turn in line. But no, no, that wasn't possible, was it?

Could Harry truly not know that Sirius was Alexis's father and his godfather?

* * *

"I appreciate the offer Albus, truly I do, but I'm just too dangerous to be around children," Remus said as he poured his former Headmaster a cup of tea. The shock of having his former professor sitting in his kitchen having a cup of tea had yet to wear off. Albus Dumbledore had arrived at Remus's house about ten minutes ago and had offered him the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Although he was gratefully for the offer and it would certainly help his financial situation, he simply could not accept the offer. Remus's savings were dwindling and he felt horribly guilty every time they had to use money from the Black family vault as it was Alexis's money.

Although Sirius and Cassie had been disowned years ago, since Regulus had died childless and left his half of the fortune to his sister, Alexis had become the sole heir of the vast Black family fortune and the family home Number 12 Grimmauld Place when Walbura Black died eight years ago. While Alexis had no problem letting Remus have access to the vault and the money, in fact he encouraged it; Remus always felt utterly guilty and worthless taking money from a teenager. "You are taking the Wolfsbane potion are you not?" Dumbledore asked, his eyes twinkling. "Yes, Cassie makes it for me," Remus replied, noticing the Headmaster's expression saddened slightly at the mention of Cassie. "Well, if I remember correctly and I'd like to think I do, Madame Black was a very fine potion maker as is Severus Snape, who would be more than happy to brew the potion for you," Albus said.

Remus grimaced slightly at the mention of the potions master. Albus smiled at the expression on the lycanthrope's face. "Perhaps not happy or even willing but rest assured he can certainly be persuaded," the Headmaster said, his blue eyes twinkling rather mischievously and Remus smiled slightly. "And as I am sure you are aware, James Potter's son is now at Hogwarts." Remus nodded, shifting uncomfortably.

Alexis, like Harry, was also in Gryffindor and Alexis had been more than willing to answer whatever questions he could about the last Potter when Remus asked. At the train station when Alexis had returned from his first year, Alexis had taken Remus's hand in his, tugging on it to get his attention. "That's Harry, dad, right there," Alexis said softly, pointing towards a rather large group of red haired people. "He looks like your friend doesn't he, like James?" Alexis said. Remus could only nod, unable to tear his gaze away from the boy he hadn't seen since he was a baby.

Harry resembled James the way Alexis resembled Sirius. He even smiled like James. They could've been twins except for their eyes. Harry had Lily's emerald eyes. Remus wanted so badly to approach him, to tell him about his parents and how wonderful they had been but found he was unable to move or speak.

"Yes, Alexis, Cassie's nephew told me," Remus said simply. It hurt thinking about Harry, knowing he would never know his mother and father. Never know how wonderful and kind they had been. "Then I'm sure Mr. Black has also informed you about what has happened at Hogwarts these last two years," Albus said and Remus nodded, trying to ignore how strange it was to hear Alexis called that. Alexis had told Remus about Voldemort's two attempts on Harry's life since the boys had started Hogwarts which Remus thought was the cause of several new grey hairs.

"Cassie and I don't believe he's gone," Remus said without thinking. "Cassie says evil has a way of returning when we stop protecting what matters most to us." Again, Albus's expression saddened for a moment but only for a moment. "Madame Black is very wise," he said finally, his blue gaze bearing into Remus's amber one. "So you can understand why I need someone who has Harry's best interest at heart at Hogwarts."

Yes, yes, Remus understood. Of course he did. But he was still unsure about returning to Hogwarts, one of the few places he had ever truly felt like he belonged. Over the years his happy memories of that place had become rather painful for him and Cassie as well. She didn't even display the pictures that been taken there anymore.

However, the desire to be near both Alexis and Harry was stronger. _Love,_ Sirius had told him once, _is stronger than pain._ "I accept your offer," Remus said finally. "But," he added, "I would ask you to please not tell Harry about me and my history with his father and Sirius." Remus felt a stab of pain saying Sirius's name but ignored it.

Albus inclined his head politely, though his sad expression had returned. "What you tell Harry is your choice of course," he said. "Thank you," Remus said gratefully, "for everything." Albus smiled and nodded as he and Remus both got to their feet. "I'll see on September first then," Albus said with a warm smile as the two men shook hands.

"Professor Lupin."

* * *

Cissy was still out school shopping with Draco by the time Lucius returned to Malfoy Manor from the Ministry. There was a note from his wife that been magically stuck to his office door saying that she and their son would be back before dinner and that the Aurors had come earlier that morning to question her about Black but it was nothing to worry about. No, no, of course it wasn't. Cissy had cut off all ties with that blood traitor years ago. The Aurors would of course not be questioning him, just Black's immediate family.

As Lucius settled behind the massive desk in his private office, he realized just a few of them were left. Cissy's mother had died not long after Draco's birth and her father had been in St. Mungo's for almost five years. Orion Black, Black's father had died six months after the Dark Lord fell, the shock was too much for him Lucius expected. Walburga had died eight years ago when her black heart had finally given out. Bella was locked up in Azkaban.

God only knew what had become the blood traitor Andromeda and her Mudblood husband and half-blood brat. Black had a child Draco's age, a boy who, according to Draco, was a Gryffindor but since he was a minor the Ministry couldn't question him. And of course there was Cassie. Black's little sister. The last of the three.

Regulus was in the ground and Black was . . . well, no one knew where he was anymore did they? Lucius's cold grey gaze shifted to the three photographs grouped on one corner of the vast desk. Lucius and his beautiful wife on their wedding day. Cissy holding their newborn son, the perfect Malfoy heir. But it was the final picture that held his gaze no matter how badly he wanted to look away.

This too had been taken on their wedding day, two beautiful bridesmaids standing with their arms linked as they laughed. There was Caprica, his beautiful little sister so happy, so full of life who had been taken so suddenly and so senselessly. And there beside her was Cassie. Bright, laughing Cassie. Lucius had always liked her, she was annoying, yes, but he had liked her. Besides, she had been Caprica's best friend, which was why Lucius had gone to her that day, because Caprica wanted him to and that girl had had him wrapped around her finger since day one.

It had taken Lucius three days to find her shop when Walburga had died. Cissy should have gone because she was Cassie's cousin after all but she couldn't, too much to do she said. In truth, she couldn't bring herself to face her youngest cousin. Lucius liked to think he wasn't like that, that it didn't get to him the way it did his wife. In reality, he stood across the street for ten minutes before forcing himself to go inside.

She was standing at the counter bent over a massive book and didn't notice him until he said her name but if she was surprised to see him it certainly didn't show. When she looked up, Lucius had been shocked. She was thin, much too thin and far too pale. And her long raven hair had been hacked off, no doubt by her own hand until it barely brushed her shoulders and dyed a deep blood red. But it was her eyes that jarred him the most. The dreaminess and the humor were gone, replaced by a matured weariness far beyond her twenty-two years.

Still, she had listened patiently as he told her what happened. Walburag died four days ago. The funeral was on Saturday. And then Lucius had waited for her to say something, anything. "And you want me to do what exactly?" she asked.

Lucius paused, looking at the bookshelves just over her shoulder rather than into her unsettling sapphire gaze. "She was your mother," he said finally. "Don't you think you should be there?" Cassie had smiled then, cold and almost mocking. "Walburga didn't want me on the same planet with her when she was alive; I very much doubt she would want me at her funeral."

Cassie reached into her pocket and pulled out a fistful of galleons which she pressed into Lucius's hand. "White roses and calla lilies," she said simply. "It was nice seeing you again Lucius; feel free to drop by anytime." Lucius had simply inclined his head and walked away. He bought the flowers the next day; the funeral director draped them over the casket. Lucius never went back to the shop.

Two years later, when they had lost Caprica, Cassie had come to the funeral no doubt after reading about the accident in the Daily Prophet. It was only right she should be there. She was Caprica's best friend and Lucius was sure his sister would have wanted her there. Caprica had loved Cassie like a sister; how times had she told him that? There were no white roses and calla lilies for Caprica, instead, Lucius watched as Cassie placed a small bouquet of yellow roses, Caprica's favorite flower, atop his sister's gleaming white coffin after the service.

Lucius had been numb throughout the service. Afterwards, with Cissy at his side, he had stood to receive the mourners. He kept saying "Thank you." It was all Lucius could think of. He mumbled his thanks and shook hands and nodded as if he actually knew (or cared) what people were saying to him.

None of it mattered. All that mattered was that his twenty-four year old sister was being lowered into the ground less than a meter away. Cassie had been one of the last to approach him. He barely recognized her in the black pea coat and dark sunglasses. Her hand felt thin in his, fragile and breakable.

She never said a word, she simply squeezed his hand. Cassie was the same age as Caprica. Her beautiful face was bloodless and utterly heartbroken. And all Lucius could say was "Thank you." Cassie never offered him any useless words because she knew how meaningless they were because she had buried a brother.

Lucius hadn't seen her since.

* * *

It took Cassie nearly forty-five minutes to drag the box from the depths of her bedroom closet and into the living room, Salazar watching curiously from the windowsill all the while. The box itself was battered and faded but carved in the top her initials were still slightly visible. This was the first time the trunk had seen the light of day in twelve years. The wooden box was only about twenty inches long by eighteen inches wide and about a foot tall. Outside, the wood was chipped and faded with age.

The two metal clasps were rusted solid. Cassie tapped the clasps with her wand and they came loose a second later, sending bits of rust flying onto the carpet. Cassie slid her thin fingers beneath the lid and flung it open. Although the years had taken their toll on the outside, the inside was untouched thanks to a simple Preservation Charm Cassie had cast before tucking the box away. How strange it was to see these things again after all this time.

Even after all these years, it was still so easy to find what she was looking for. Cassie lifted the emerald drawstring pouch from the depths of the box and withdrew the gleaming silver key from within in. The slim key felt cool and heavy in her thin hand. The small red velvet bundle roughly the size of a paperback book was the next to be removed. Unfolding the soft cloth, Cassie was relieved to see her own reflection looking back at her.

The mirror was still intact. Smiling softly, Cassie rewrapped the mirror and set it on the floor beside the key. She was about to shut the box when she caught sight of it in the corner and paused. The black velvet ribbon with the silver Black family crest hanging from it: a shield with greyhounds rampant charged with a chevron, two five-pointed stars and a short sword. Sirius had had a ring bearing the same crest.

He'd thrown it into the Thames when he left home. Regulus had the same ring. What had become of it when he died, Cassie had no idea. Cassie picked up the necklace she hadn't even looked at since she was sixteen. The pendant felt cold and heavy in her hand.

When Regulus had died she nearly chucked it into the Thames but for some reason, she hadn't been able to do it. So instead, Cassie had thrown it into the box and never given it another thought. In truth, she had forgotten all about it until this moment. It was a beautiful piece of jewelry really; it was made of the finest elven silver in sixteenth century and was probably worth a small fortune. Oh how she had hated wearing the dreadfully heavy thing when she was a child and only wore it when forced.

Funny, she used to hate the very sight of the necklace but now she was smiling. Before Cassie even realized what she was doing, she was reaching up to clasp the necklace around her neck. At first, the weight of it and iciness of the pendant against her throat was almost unpleasant but soon she became used to it. Closing the box, Cassie climbed rather unsteadily to her feet. Staying in a fixed position for very long always made her knee ache.

After returning the box to her bedroom closet with a simple flick of her wand and retrieving the key and the mirror from the floor, Cassie caught sight of herself in the mirror hanging over the fireplace once more. The Black family necklace stood out livid against her pale skin. It looked utterly out of place but strangely like it belonged. Suddenly, Cassie understood what she had to do. She'd known all along really but somehow wearing the necklace again made it all the more clearer.

Before Cassie had time to reflect on her mission further, the emerald flames shot up in the hearth which made Salazar mew loudly and tear off into the kitchen. She carefully tucked the mirror and the key into her purse just before Remus emerged from the flames. "Hello Remus," she greeted her friend pleasantly. "Hello Cassie, is Alexis back?" he asked looking around the room as if expecting Alexis to jump out of the broom cupboard, something the boy in question had been fond of doing when he was six. "No it's just me and Salazar, why?" she asked seeing the look on his face.

Remus shifted his weight from foot to foot, looking rather uncomfortable. He'd always been a terrible liar. "I wanted to wait until he got here," he said looking at her uneasily. Cassie shot him a look. "Spill it Remus." Remus sighed heavily, running a hand through his graying hair.

"Albus Dumbledore came to see me this afternoon," Remus said, trying to ignore the way Cassie stiffened at the mention of their former Headmaster. She had never forgiven him for believing Sirius was guilty and refusing to help her try and prove her brother's innocence. This had resulted in a rather nasty argument between the two of them just after Sirius's arrest which ended when Cassie ordered the famed wizard to get out of her flat. "He asked me to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts and I've accepted," Remus said slowly, bracing himself for what was to come. But rather than getting angry and shouting at him as Remus expected her too, Cassie laughed and hugged him.

"That's wonderful darling, I always said you should teach," Cassie said with a grin as they drew apart. Remus stared at her feeling slightly bemused. "You're happy?" Cassie roared with laughter. "Of course I am! What did you think I'd rail at you for siding with the enemy?" she said, laughing even harder when Remus nodded.

Soon Remus too burst out laughing right along with her and this was the very strange sight Alexis came upon when he returned to the flat. "Did I miss something?" Alexis asked, looking from his aunt to his father. Cassie, who the first to regain her composure, simply smiled and shook her head. "Take Alexis home, go celebrate," she said. "Cassie--" Remus started to protest but she cut him off.

"Take him home Remus." Remus smiled slightly, knowing there was no arguing with Cassie when she was like this. "Fine, but we'll be back first thing in the morning," he said in a no arguments kind of way. "Fair enough," Cassie said in mock seriousness. "Bye Cassie," Alexis said rushing forward to give his aunt a quick hug. Alexis loved her, really he did, but he wanted to go home with his father.

"Goodbye darling," Cassie said hugging him briefly but tightly. "Congratulations Remus," she whispered as she leaned up to hug him as well. Remus smiled back and hugged his friend close. "Come on Alexis," Remus said, looking happier than Cassie had seen him since this whole thing started. Alexis followed his father into the hearth and in a flash of green flames, the pair vanished.

Cassie remained standing at the fireplace long after they had gone and Salazar had returned, smiling softly as she scooped the softly mewing cat into her arms. Oh how wonderful it was to have a sense of purpose again.


	7. Chapter 6: Love That Binds

Chapter Six: Love that Binds

"Are you kidding, that's wonderful!" Alexis shouted happily, throwing his arms around Remus's neck and hugging him tight. Although he was slightly caught off guard by the sudden out burst, Remus laughed and wrapped an arm around his son. "I'll definitely pass Defense with you teaching," Alexis said with a broad grin. Remus laughed and shook his head. "As if you need help passing any class," Remus said sarcastically.

Alexis was one of the top students in his year. Defense Against the Dark Arts was easily one of his best subjects. It was hard for it not to be given what had happened to his family. "Okay fair enough. You're going to be a great teacher dad," Alexis said happily, hugging his father tight. "Does that mean you want to be taught by me?" Remus asked seriously, turning his head so that he was looking into Alexis's eyes.

Alexis stared at his father in puzzlement. Why would he ask something like that? "Of course I do!" Alexis said, shocked he would think otherwise. "Haven't I always told you that you should teach?" Remus smiled slightly, feeling a sharp pang of sorrow at the memory of Sirius saying those same words so long ago.

Sirius too had been holding him as he said these words. "So you don't mind me being around you all year?" Remus asked. Alexis laughed and shook his head wearily, resting his chin on Remus's shoulder. "You worry too much you know that?" he said with smile. Remus laughed, feeling relief wash over him at Alexis's words.

In truth, Alexis was overjoyed that his father was going to be at Hogwarts with him. While Alexis loved being at Hogwarts he hated being apart from Remus. Plus, he would finally have someone to talk to at school. And he knew this year was going to be especially bad. People already avoided him like the plague when they found out he was Sirius Black's son and with his escape from Azkaban they were probably going to be a lot more ruthless.

Still, Alexis didn't feel quite as worried as he had before knowing Remus was going to be there. Remus reached up and took hold of both of Alexis's wrists in one of his hands, startled at how frail his son's wrists felt beneath his fingers. "I love you and you're going to be a great teacher," Alexis said, smiling at his father. Remus smiled, gripping Alexis's wrists tightly as if afraid that if he let go the boy would disappear. "I love you too and thank you," he said.

The two stayed like that for the longest time until Remus reluctantly slipped from Alexis's arms and shifted so that they were facing each other. "There are actually a few things we need to discuss before you return to school," Remus said solemnly. Gods, he'd been dreading this conversation. Alexis shifted, sitting cross-legged on the couch across from his father. "Like what?" Alexis asked in puzzlement.

"Your father," Remus said softly, almost sadly. Alexis felt his heart sink at the heartbroken look on his father's face. Remus sighed heavily and ran a hand through his hair. "Listen Alexis, if—if he tries to contact you—you need to tell me," Remus was finally able to force himself to say, surprised his voice was so even and calm given that he felt like screaming. Gods, he knew it was going to hard to do this but he never expected it to hurt this much.

"He wouldn't try to contact me dad, he's a fugitive," Alexis pointed out reasonably. "I know, but if he does--" Remus paused, hating himself for having to say this let alone think it. Alexis reached out and laid a hand on Remus's arm, rubbing it comfortingly, trying to put him at ease. He could feel the tension and sorrow coming off Remus in waves and hated the idea of him feeling like that. "If he does, you need to tell me," Remus forced himself to go on.

"Just in case." Alexis stared at his father, shocked and saddened he could even think something like that. "Do you honestly think he'd hurt me?" Alexis asked. And with those simple words, Remus was struck speechless. He remembered when Alexis was born, how small he had been, how fragile.

How close they had come to losing him. Alexis had been a beautiful baby but so small. At ten weeks premature, how could he not be small? When Remus first saw him, he was struck and frightened at how small the baby was. Remus remembered the first time he held Alexis, startled at small he was, how fragile he seemed.

Sirius held Alexis all the time, perhaps thinking it would somehow anchor the fragile child in his arms to the world of the living. Even when the Healers gave up hope, Sirius did not. Remus watched Sirius gently rock Alexis back and forth in his arms. He had never seen Sirius being so careful or gentle with anything before. Sirius smiled softly down at the tiny creature cradled in his arms and cuddled him almost protectively against his body.

Slowly, Remus raised his eyes to look into the eyes of the child before him. Sirius's eyes. _Do you honestly think he'd hurt me?_ "No," Remus said softly but he had never been surer of anything. Remus reached out and cupped Alexis's face in his hands.

"You're the one person in the world he would never hurt," Remus said with a faint, sad smile. There was nothing of Emma in Alexis's features like Remus had expected there to be when he got older. Nor was their anything of her in his personality. It was as if he were wholly and utterly Sirius's child. And given the kind of person Emma had been, this was a blessing.

"Just promise me you'll be careful," Remus said finally. "Things aren't going to be easy for you, being Sirius's son." Alexis nodded, "I know." Alexis didn't care what anyone thought of him. He loved his father and he was never going to apologize for that.

As if reading his thoughts, Remus sighed heavily and clasped Alexis's thin hands tightly in his. "You mean more to me than anything else in the world and I don't want anything to happen to you," Remus said softly but firmly. "I'll be careful dad," Alexis promised, reaching up to wrap his arms around Remus's scarred neck and held him tight. Remus smiled faintly and clasped the boy close.

No matter what Sirius had done or what he had become, loving Alexis forever bound Remus to him.


	8. Chapter 7: The Journey to Hogwarts

Chapter Seven: The Journey to Hogwarts 

As usual, King's Cross station was packed with Muggles. Of course, Alexis was easily able to spot the young witches and wizards in the crowds. They usually pushing trolleys bigger than they were and all of them looked like deer caught in the wandlights. Alexis remembered how nervous and excited he had been the first time he had come here. He had been clinging to his father's hand so tight that there were deep red imprints on the lycanthrope's hand where his fingers had been clutching.

While Alexis had always loved to listen to his father and aunt's stories about their years at Hogwarts, he was still terrified about being so far away from them. And making a complete and utter fool of himself. What if he was no good at magic? What if he was ages behind the other students and couldn't master a single spell? His father had listened to his worries sympathetically and assured Alexis that while his professors had threatened to expel him and his friends for various reasons, not be able to do a spell was not one of them.

Alexis glanced up at one of the clocks hanging around the station. The Hogwarts Express was leaving in ten minutes. "Remember what we talked about Alexis," Remus said, securing his battered case atop his worn trunk as he pushed his own trolley alongside Alexis. "I remember," Alexis said distractedly, still staring at the clock. "What do you remember?" Remus pressed.

"I'm not supposed to call you dad in the presence of the students or the faculty or anyone else and I'm not supposed to tell anyone about us," Alexis rattled off easily. Remus had been telling him that so much for the last two weeks that he could practically say it in his sleep. "Don't worry dad I'll remember," Alexis said dismissively. Remus shot him a warning look and Alexis grinned. "Oh come on Remus you're not even through the barrier yet," Cassie said from she was walking on the other side of Remus.

Cassie had come to King's Cross to see Alexis off like she did every year expect this year she would seeing Remus off as well. "It wouldn't hurt you to start practicing," Remus said. "Got it Professor Lupin," Alexis said cheerfully. Remus tried to look annoyed but he just ended up laughing along with Cassie. She seemed so much happier lately and as much as Remus knew that her recent happiness was probably because of Sirius had escaped Azkaban.

"We better hurry before you two are late," Cassie said, glancing down at her oversized wristwatch. It was a man's watch and looked massive on her thin wrist. "After you," Alexis said to Remus when they approached the barrier. Remus smiled and nodded, pushing his trolley ominously towards the brick wall between platforms nine and ten only to vanish a second later. Cassie glanced over at a group of Muggles standing nearby and smiled faintly.

It never ceased to amaze her how they seemed so oblivious to everything that happened right under their noses. "Well go on," Cassie said lightly pushing her nephew towards the barrier. Alexis grinned at her over his shoulder before taking off at a run towards the barrier. Cassie followed him a second later and found both Remus and Alexis waiting a few meters away for her. She noticed a few parents staring at her as she passed and whispering but ignored them.

Being the sister of infamous mass murderer Sirius Black often warranted some rather unwanted attention. Which, unfortunately, after twelve years, one become rather used to. But that didn't stop it for being extremely annoying. "Have a good term darling," Cassie said, hugging Alexis tight. "I will Cassie, take care of yourself," Alexis said as he held her close.

Cassie smiled faintly and nodded, releasing her nephew. "I guess this is goodbye for now since we shouldn't be seen together very often," Remus said quietly and Alexis nodded albeit reluctantly. Remus knew he should tell the teenager to get on the train but he made no attempt to do so. He wasn't ready to leave Alexis yet. Alexis stepped forward and wrapped his arms around his father, hugging him close.

"Don't worry dad, I'll be okay," he said softly. Remus wrapped his arms around Alexis and hugged him tight. "I love you Alexis," Remus said softly. "I love you too dad," Alexis said, smiling up at Remus as they drew apart. Reluctantly, Alexis took up his trolley and headed towards the train, waving at his aunt and father over his shoulder as he went.

Remus watched Alexis go and kept watching long after he had vanished from sight. "He'll be all right," Cassie said, drawing Remus's attention back to her. Remus smiled faintly and nodded before folding Cassie into his arms. "Take care yourself Cassie and please, please don't do anything stupid," he said softly as they drew apart. Cassie smiled slightly and nodded.

_Sorry darling,_ she thought sadly, _that's the one promise I can't keep._ The doors along the train were slamming shut, and the blurred outlines of parents were rushing forward for one final goodbye. Remus jumped into the carriage and Cassie handed him his battered, string bound case before shutting the door behind him. The train began to move and Cassie walked along side it though she could no longer see Remus. Still, she kept walking even though it felt like bereavement and her knee was aching terribly.

The last of the steam evaporated in the autumn air. The train rounded a corner and vanished from sight. Cassie remained standing on the platform long after the train had vanished and the crowds around her began to disperse.

* * *

"Oy Black!" Alexis stopped halfway down the aisle and spun around, wand in hand. He already almost been hit with a Stinging hex and a Tripping Jinx since he set foot on the train. Fortunately, it was not another person brandishing a wand and looking to prove themselves by taking on Sirius Black's son. No, it was George Weasley.

Alexis wouldn't say he was friends with the infamous Weasley twins since he doesn't have any friends but it was impossible not like Fred and George. Besides, the two of them and their friend Lee Jordan had always been on good terms with Alexis. The four of them had met on the train ride to Hogwarts in Alexis's first year. He had been struggling to drag his trunk, which was easily weighed more than did, down the aisle as he searched for an empty compartment. Alexis had paused for a moment to rest when he spotted a large hairy tarantula crawling leisurely along the ground.

While Alexis was no fan of spiders and this one in particular was rather large, he didn't want it get run over by one of the many trunks being pulled down the aisle and picked it up from the ground. The arachnid felt alien in his thin hands but Alexis cradled it carefully none the less. Just then, two red haired third year boys, identical to the last freckle entered the train car. "You haven't lost a tarantula have you?" Alexis asked as the twins approached him. "As a matter of fact we have," said the twin on the right with an air of relief.

Alexis willingly handed the spider to the twin on the left. "Thank you ickle little first year, I'm Fred Weasley," said the twin on the right, "and this is George." "I'm Alexis Black." Both Fred and George went suddenly very quiet. "Blimey, are you--" Fred asked in hushed, shocked voice.

"He is, he has to be," George said, staring wide eyed at Alexis. "Are you Sirius Black's son?" the twins asked in unison. Alexis sighed heavily and nodded, he'd been excepting something like this. The twins gawked at Alexis for several moments before George said, "You don't really look like the son of a mass murderer." "Thanks, I'm trying a shampoo," Alexis said and the twins laughed.

"Hey, would you like to come to our compartment?" Fred asked suddenly, catching Alexis completely off guard. "Yeah, I'm sure Lee would like to thank you for finding his tarantula," George added. Alexis hesitated, not wanting to spend the entire train ride being ogled at but the Weasley twins had already grabbed his trunk and started dragging it towards their compartment.

"Hello George," Alexis said, dragging his trunk towards the fifth year boy. "Have a good summer?" "It was all right, Egypt was fun but I'm guessing it wasn't as exciting as your summer," George said with a grin. "It's not everyday one's father escapes from Azkaban." Alexis stared at George in shock. "Well you know my family, we like the quiet the life," Alexis said dryly.

That was one of the things Alexis liked best about Fred and George, they could lighten up any situation. George laughed and shook his head. "How is it you can never find a compartment?" he asked, already seizing one of Alexis's trunk handles and dragging it towards his compartment. "Strangely enough people aren't clambering over themselves to have a murderer's son share their compartment," Alexis said, trying to ignore the people staring at him out their compartment doors, whispering darkly. Alexis sighed heavily; it was going to be one long year.

Alexis followed George to his compartment where Fred and Lee Jordan were playing a game of Exploding Snap while Gryffindor Quidditch Captain Oliver Wood was bent over his moving diagram of the pitch. "Hello Alexis," Lee said distractedly as he laid down another card, sighing in relief when nothing happened. "Hi Lee, Fred, Oliver," Alexis said as he helped George hoist his trunk into the overhead net. "Hmm? Yes, fine thank you," Wood said blankly. Alexis laughed and shook his head.

Oliver could get so immersed in Quidditch that he wouldn't feel an earthquake happen. After his trunk was secure, Alexis sat down near the window, drawing his ever present small circular messenger bag made of black leather and embossed with a pentacle onto his lap. The bag never left his side, not even when he was sleeping. Alexis withdrew his sketchbook and started to draw the houses and landscape drifting lazily past the window. That was another good thing about the Weasley twins; they generally left him to his own devices.

After awhile drawing the scenery became boring and the speed at which it was going past the window was starting to give Alexis a headache so he turned back to the sketch he had started a few weeks ago. Cassie was sitting on the cold stone steps in front of her building, her skeletal hands resting on her knees. One was holding a smoking cigarette, the smoke curling gracefully above her head like a halo. Her boots are battered, the laces dirty and worn. The picture on her tank top was peeling off and the words were long gone.

The jeans were battered and faded with a large rip in one of the knees revealing too pale skin and fragile bones. A few skillful strokes of a charcoal pencil create her expression: sad, wistful. Longing, waiting. He never drew her scars. She always said he should.

"Who's that?" Fred asked, leaning over to glance at the drawing. "My aunt Cassie," Alexis said, sounding as distracted as Oliver. Fred and George exchanged a look. Cassiopeia Black. Sirius Black's sister.

"Is she as pretty as her picture?" George asked, wriggling his eyebrows causing Fred to elbow him in the ribs while Lee laughed and Alexis smiled faintly. "No, she's prettier." As the twins and Lee resumed their game and Alexis started yet another drawing the train continued on, taking them closer and closer to Hogwarts.

* * *

"Do you reckon we should wake him?" Fred asked, jerking his head towards Alexis. He was lying against the window and had been sleeping soundly for the last hour. "No, he looks like he could use the rest," Lee said, taking in Alexis's overly pale appearance. "He always looks like that. I'd be worried if he didn't," George said, plopping a freshly brought Cauldron Cake into his mouth. But Lee continued to stare at Alexis as if struggling to see something just out of focus.

"It's weird isn't it?" "What?" the twins chorused, swapping their newly acquired Chocolate Frog Cards. "That he's Sirius Black's son, I've known him three years and sometimes I can't believe it," Lee said, sounding uncharacteristically serious. "He's a nice bloke. I mean he's a bit odd sure," Lee added, taking in Alexis's all black attire, the battered Converse held together with duct tape and the silver pentacle hanging around his neck. "But he's still a nice bloke."

"He's not a bit odd Lee, he's out of his bloody mind," Fred said, nicking one of George's cards when he wasn't looking. "But," George said, immediately snatching the card back. "He is a nice bloke and I sure as hell wouldn't want to be him this year." The three friends nodded gravely. People didn't always treat Alexis nicely under the best of circumstances and with Black's escape from Azkaban things were probably only going to get worse for him.

Unfortunately, the three friends didn't get a chance to discuss this problem further as the train screeched to a sudden stop. A second later it was raining Chocolate frog cards and Oliver's Quidditch model went flying as the five people in the compartment crashed rather unceremoniously onto the floor. "What's going on?" a now very awake Alexis asked as everyone struggled to sit up given the minimum amount of room on the floor. "I dunno," Oliver said as he gathered up his model and speaking for the first time all day. "Have we broken down?" Lee asked.

The lights overhead flickered portentously before the entire train was engulfed in darkness a second later. The five boys went as still and silent as possible when they heard the doors of the train carriage opening in the distance. Someone was coming aboard. "Who could possibly be coming aboard?" Fred or maybe it was George whispered in the darkness. No one had the answer but the compartment was suddenly filled with tension.

Alexis quickly fumbled for his bag and pulled out his wand. He always kept it close at hand. "Lumos," he whispered and a second later the compartment was filled with a faint white light. Oliver, Lee, Fred, and George were all also gripping their wands, their faces pale but determined. "Oy!" a familiar voice shouted as fists rained down on their compartment door.

It was Draco Malfoy. And he sound terrified. "Let me in you gits!" he shouted desperately, almost pleadingly. Fred and George exchanged a grin. "Sorry Malfoy," George shouted back pleasantly. "No slimy prats allowed!" Fred added cheerfully.

"Let me in!" Malfoy shouted again. "Please," he added so softly it was almost inaudible. Alexis scrambled quickly to his feet and moved towards the door. He may not like Malfoy much, okay he didn't like him at all but certainly wasn't heartless. Alexis threw open the door and found the terrified face of Draco Malfoy looking back at him.

"What's going on?" Alexis asked. Malfoy didn't say a word; he simply pointed a shaking finger down the compartment. And that was when Alexis saw it but he still couldn't believe what he was seeing. It was a Dementor. There a Dementor on the Hogwarts Express. Alexis reached out and seized hold of Malfoy's arm, yanking him rather unceremoniously into the compartment before slamming the door shut.

"What is it?" Fred demanded. "There's a Dementor on the train," Alexis said tensely, his heart was pounding wildly and he wondered for a moment if the others could hear it. "WHAT?!" the others chorused in shock, looking from Alexis and Malfoy. "Why is there a Dementor on the train?" Oliver demanded. "Are you thick Wood?" Malfoy snapped though he still looked overly pale and terrified.

"It's looking for Black!" Four pairs of eyes immediately found their way to Alexis who had his own gaze fixed on the door. There was a Dementor on the train. And it was looking for his father. That meant the Ministry thought Sirius might come to Hogwarts.

Alexis felt a surge of fear and excitement at the thought. Several cries of fear and panic suddenly resounded through the carriage. "It's coming this way!" Lee hissed tightening his grip on his wand. And suddenly Alexis remembered something Remus had told him about Dementors. "Put your wands away!" he shouted, causing the others to stare at him in shock.

"Why in the bloody hell would we--" George started but Alexis cut him off. "Because Dementors attack if they feel threatened!" "You heard Black put them away!" Malfoy shouted in a strangled voice. A second later they all complied and Alexis stuffed his own wand back into his bag. They were already in enough danger with him here.

Those horrible creatures had spent the lost twelve years feeding on his father's every happy memory, sucking away his every feeling. A man whose blood Alexis shared. A scabbard hand closed around the door handle and pulled it open revealing the hooded figure. There was a sudden scrambling behind Alexis as the others tried to get as far away from the Dementor as possible. But Alexis found himself frozen place, a terrible cold gnawing at his bones as his mind began fill with a dense fog.

_He could hear someone crying, sobbing as Alexis had never heard someone sob. It was as if they were crying from the depths of their very soul. "I'm sorry darling, I'm so sorry," Cassie was saying softly, sounding so desperately sad and utterly heartbroken._ "He's not here!" Alexis shouted, feeling himself begin to tremble violently. In truth, he was amazed he was even still on his feet.

The Dementor turned, fixing its hooded gaze on teenager standing before him. Alexis closed his trembling hands into fists at his side. It was all he could not to grab his wand. The Dementor leaned in; its hooded face was now centimeters from Alexis own terrified one. "Sirius Black isn't here! We don't have him!" Alexis screamed, his voice wavering slightly.

The Dementor reached out with a hand that would not have looked out of place on a dead man or a corpse submerged in the water. It made as though to grab Alexis but the wasted hand froze a centimeter from his throat. A second later someone seized a handful of Alexis's coat and yanked him backwards. Alexis crashed hard onto the ground, landing in a heap near Malfoy whose white blonde hair made him the easiest to discern in the darkness; his pale hand was clutching a fistful of Alexis's coat. Withdrawing its hand as though it had been burned, the Dementor turned and glided out of their compartment.

The fog in Alexis's head faded and he could breathe again. Slowly and shaking like newborn colts, everyone climbed to their feet and sank tiredly onto the seats. The lights flickered back on, filling the compartment with light and illuminating everyone's overly pale, tormented faces. If this was how the others looked, Alexis wondered vaguely how bad he must look. No one spoke for the longest time.

When Alexis finally looked up from his shaking hands he saw Fred, George, Lee, and Oliver were looking at him. Malfoy was staring pointedly out the window. His pointed face was paler than usual and his steely grey eyes were watery and filled with fear. "Are you all right?" Alexis asked, startled at how shaky his voice sounded. That seemed to snap Malfoy immediately back to reality as he shook his head as if trying to clear it from a nightmare; his grey eyes were hard and cold once more.

"Of course I'm all right!" he snapped, leaping to his feet as though he had been shocked and throwing open the compartment door. "And if you gits tell anyone about this you'll wish you were never born!" Malfoy hissed, slamming the door shut so hard the glass rattled dangerously. "Prat," George said, shooting the door a deadly glare. "I bet the little slime ball nearly wet himself," Fred said. While the twins and Oliver shared a laughed, Alexis tried to stop his hands from shaking.

Who had been crying? Why had they been crying like that? And why was Cassie there? Alexis could still hear her soft, soothing voice. _I'm sorry darling, I'm so sorry._

She seemed to saying to the person that was crying but what on earth was she sorry about? Feeling someone staring at him, Alexis looked up to find not one but four people staring at him in a mixture of concern and puzzlement. "Why did it come for you like that?" Oliver asked, acknowledging Alexis for the first time all day. "It knew I was his son," Alexis said simply. The four boys across from him looked utterly horrified and then deeply worried.

"How?" Lee asked in hushed voice as if speaking too loudly would somehow bring the dark creature back. Alexis shrugged weakly and shook his head tiredly. "It could sense my connection to him which is why it came in here in the first place," Alexis explained. "And why it came for me like that." Everyone shuddered at the memory but no one more so than Alexis who tightened his coat around himself at the memory of cold the Dementor had brought.

"Why did it stop like that?" Fred asked to no one in particular. "Yeah, we thought it was going to grab you and it just stopped," George added. Everyone's eyes were once again on Alexis but this time he didn't have answer for them. He had no idea why the Dementor had been unable to touch him though he was extremely grateful, whatever the reason. When the door opened again, everyone jumped to their feet as if they'd been bitten.

Alexis on the other hand could've laughed with relief and probably would have under different circumstances. Standing in the doorway was none other than Remus Lupin in shabbiest robes and looking worried and overly pale. Clearly he too had had a visit from a Dementor. "Is everyone all right in here?" he asked, though his kind amber eyes lingered on Alexis a moment longer. Alexis winced, he could tell from the look on Remus's face he looked worse than he had previously thought which in and of itself was saying something.

"We're fine sir," Oliver said, looking at Remus in confusion as he tried and failed to place the man before him. Lee on the other hand, never being a subtle person asked what the others were thinking. "Who are you?" Remus smiled faintly, though Alexis noted it didn't quite reach his worried eyes. "I'm Professor Lupin; you're new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher." Alexis immediate fought the urge to grin as he saw the twins size up Remus and then exchange a look that clearly said 'you're kidding right?'

Lee had a similar look on his and was just as bad at hiding it as his two best friends. Oliver merely shook his head looking as if he were seriously concerned for Remus's sanity. There was wide spread school rumor about the Defense position being cursed and those who took the rumor as fact simply pointed to their pervious two instructors in the subject as examples. And according to his aunt this was nothing new and said that the story of job being cursed had existed long before she and his parents had ever set foot in the school. "Well it's nice to meet you professor, I'm Fred and this substantially less attractive gentleman is my brother George, this is Lee Jordan, Oliver Wood, and Alexis Black," Fred said without so much as pausing for breathe.

Alexis had to quickly smother a laugh at being introduced to his father. Remus too seemed to have great difficulty holding back a smile. "Yes, well, it's nice to meet you all. Here," he said, reaching into his pocket and withdrawing a rather large slab of chocolate which he handed to George. "Eat that, you'll feel better. Now if you'll excuse me I need to have a word with the driver." Remus turned on his heel and started out of the compartment.

Alexis felt a sudden, unexpected elemental panic and called out to him. "Professor Lupin, can I speak to you for a moment?" he asked, hoping he didn't sound as desperate as he felt. Remus froze half in and out of the compartment and turned slowly back around to face Alexis. "Certainly, please, step outside with me," Remus said, trying suppress his surprise and concern. Alexis nodded and quickly scrambled to his feet and followed Remus into the carriage, shutting the door behind him.

Quickly and as quietly as possible, Alexis told Remus about what had happened when the Dementor came into their compartment. "And then it tried to grab me but for reason it couldn't then it just left," Alexis said as he finished his story. Remus stared at him in wide eyed shock and concern. "It knew you were his son," Remus said quickly and Alexis nodded. _Just like it knew about you,_ Alexis thought, taking in Remus's overly pale appearance.

"I'm all right," Alexis said quickly in a desperate attempt to reassure him. In truth, it was all he could do not to reach out and take his father into his arms. He hated to see Remus in pain. Remus smiled slightly, reaching out to clap Alexis on the shoulder though he desperately wanted to take the boy into his arms. "I know, go back to your compartment all right? We'll talk later," he said comfortingly. "Why couldn't it touch me?" Alexis asked. "I don't know but I'll try to find out," Remus said softly, looking around to see if anyone was listening to them.

Alexis smiled softly and nodded, feeling suddenly more at ease after talking to his father. He always did. Remus returned the small smile before starting down the car towards the front of the train. Alexis waited until he was out of sight before going back into the compartment. "Did you tell him about the Dementor coming after you?" George asked, handing Alexis a large chunk of chocolate as he sat down.

Alexis nodded as he ate his piece, feeling the warmth rush back into his body. Feeling their spirits lifted by the chocolate, the others were once again chatting animatedly about the upcoming feast and the friends they were soon going to be reunited with. Alexis on the other was too lost in his thoughts about the Dementor. And his father. Gods, he couldn't even imagine what being alone with those awful things had been like.

"Earth to Black," Fred said, waving his hand in front of Alexis's face a little while later. "Huh, what?" Alexis said brilliantly as the others laughed. "You should probably change into your robes sometime before we get to school mate," George pointed out with a grin. Alexis grinned and shook his head, standing up to pull his robes and uniform from his trunk. As Alexis was tying his tie, his finger tips brushed the cool metal of his pentacle.

He froze, reaching his hand up to his own throat, miming what the Dementor had done earlier. His hand stopped just before it brushed the necklace. The necklace his father had given him.


	9. Chapter 8: The Return

Chapter Eight: The Return 

Rain lashed against the dirty window panes of the carriage Alexis was riding in with a group of very noisy second year girls towards the magnificent iron wrought gates flanked by two winged boars. Alexis looked out the window at the Threstrels pulling the carriage. Although Alexis had heard several upper classmen remark that they would like to see the skeletal winged creatures that pulled the carriage, he would die a happy man if that was a sight he never saw. _**"There are called Threstrels and you can only see them if you've seen death," his aunt had told him when he returned from his second year and had asked her what was pulling the carriage. "I can see them," she added almost as an after thought. **_

Alexis had been tempted to ask who she had seen die but something in her eyes made him stop. And in truth, he didn't really want to know. "Look!" a small plump girl with blonde pigtails gasped, pointing out the window. Alexis followed her gazed and tensed. There were two Dementors flanking the stone columns. Great.

Just great, now he was going to have to pass those bloody things every time he went to Hogsmeade. Alexis sighed heavily and reached up to unconsciously to grasp his pentacle. He was gripping it so tight that by the time they passed the Dementors, there was a sharp pain in his hand and a deep indentation in his palm. Alexis hopped out of the carriage and into the rain, unable to listen to the girls talk about The Weird Sisters one second longer. Ah well, at least they weren't talking about Sirius Black.

Holding his coat over his head, Alexis took off in a dash towards the castle, sighing with relief when he entered the dry, candle lit Entrance Hall. Alexis looked around for Remus, feeling a sharp pang of disappointed when he didn't see him anywhere. He had probably already gone in to join the other teachers. _Stop it_, Alexis admonished himself. _He's not your dad here, he's your professor and the sooner you get that through your thick head the better!_ Still, Alexis couldn't deny that he was already starting to miss his dad like mad.

Alexis sighed heavily, running a hand through his damp hair. It was going to be one very long year. As he made his way with the crowd toward the Great Hall Alexis couldn't help but notice a lot of people staring at him darkly, several even nudged those nearest them and pointed him out. Alexis kept his eyes ahead and wondered bleakly what they were saying about him. Yes, it was going to be a very long year.

"Granger! Potter!" a stern voice called suddenly, bringing Alexis back from his dark thoughts. Alexis watched in puzzlement as an equally confused looking Harry and Hermione followed Professor McGonagall, the stern witch that was head of Gryffindor House towards her office. Wondering what Harry could've done that would have caused McGonagall call him in even before the start of term feast Alexis made his way into the Great Hall, staring up at the cloudy ceiling above and smiling in spite of himself as he remembered last year's incident with the flying car. Trying to ignore the stares and whispers that seemed to be following him, Alexis sat down at the Gryffindor table. "You can't sit here," a voice snapped.

Alexis looked up and found himself eye to eye with Lavender Brown and her best friend Parvati both of whom looked wide-eyed and scared. "Why not?" Alexis asked, meeting their gaze evenly. "Last time I checked this was still a free country." Lavender blanched and Paravati flushed brilliantly. "We-we know who you are. That you're Sirius Black's son," Lavender said in what she clearly thought was a strong voice but was little more than a frightened squeak.

Alexis chuckled darkly. This was getting really old, really fast. "Bully for you oh Queens of Observation, I've never hidden it," Alexis said simply. Both Lavender and Parvati huffed angrily and got quickly to their feet, looking affronted and angry as they marched to the other end of the table. "Nice talking to you!" Alexis called after them.

He was only digging himself in deeper but he was too damn tired to care at the moment. The people around him began muttering darkly, shooting him angry, suspicious looks as they scooted not so subtly away from him. Alexis sighed heavily and gritted his teeth, trying to pretend he didn't notice. After awhile he got tired of everyone looking at him like he was about to start attacking them so Alexis folded his arms on the table and rested his head on them. He was really starting to enjoy the coolness of the table against his clammy forehead when he heard the familiar stool being placed on the rough stone floor.

Sighing heavily, Alexis he knew better than to keep his head on the table during the Sorting, however boring it might be. Doing so all but guaranteed a detention with McGonagall and that was really the last thing he needed right now. But to his surprise and utter confusion, it was not McGonagall heading the Sorting but Professor Flitwick, the tiny Charms teacher. He also noticed that Harry and Hermione had failed to return. What on earth could their Head of House have to talk to them about before term even started?

Alexis barely paid attention to the Sorting but clapped along with everyone else in Gryffindor when the table exploded in applause. None of the new additions sat anywhere near him. All of them sat on the other end of the table staring at him in wide-eyed terror. Funny, he personally didn't think he was that scary. True, he was no stranger to this behavior but that didn't make hurt any less and wondered how in the hell his aunt put up with it all these years.

McGonagall didn't appear until Lisa Zimmer had been Sorted into Hufflepuff with a sheepish looking Harry and a beaming Hermione in toe. Harry took his usual place beside his best friend Ron Weasley, who had been shooting Alexis covert, nervous glances. Alexis had expected Hermione to sit down on Ron's other side but to his surprise, she sat down across from him, tucking a very fine gold chain into her robes. Ron shot Hermione a scandalized look but she pointedly ignored the youngest Weasley boy. Really, treating Alexis like this was ignorant.

Just because he was Sirius Black's son didn't mean he was going to be a dark wizard like his father had been. Honestly, it was just like all that blood purity nonsense. And she had certainly had her fill of that rubbish. Besides, she liked Alexis well enough though she sometimes felt rather bad for him as he didn't seem to have any friends and was treated rather cruelly by their fellow students sometimes; something she didn't understand until Hannah Abbot had told her about Sirius Black while they were studying in the library during their first year which made her even angrier at her classmates and even sorrier for him. Although his lack of friends and the cruelty of his classmates didn't seem to bother Alexis much, in truth, he seemed strangely detached probably because he had been dealing with it all his life.

Still, Hermione liked him well enough. He seemed to be a genuinely nice person without a cruel bone in his body and he had comforted her several times during their first year when Ronald had been particularly cruel. Hermione clenched her fists beneath the table, even two years later it hurt that he had treated her that way. And she rather enjoyed studying with him as he was more than a match for her academically. So she smiled warmly at her classmate across the table and a felt surge of happiness when he actually smiled back.

Alexis didn't pay much attention to Dumbledore's start of term speech. He doubted anybody but Hermione really did. Even hearing about their new guests stationed at every entrance didn't bother him as much as it probably should have as he had expected as much already after seeing them at the front entrance. He was exhausted and eager for the day to be over. "On a happier note", Dumbledore said with a smile, "I am pleased to welcome two new teachers to our ranks this year."

And at last the revered headmaster had gained Alexis's attention. He immediately sat up straighter and fixed his grey gaze on the staff table, trying hard not to start grinning. "Firstly, Professor Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defense against the Dark Arts teacher." A rather unenthusiastic and half-hearted applause followed Dumbledore's announcement but Alexis was among a small group of Gryffindors clapping rather loudly. "I really think he's going to be a great teacher," Hermione told Alexis.

"He got rid of the Dementor that came into our compartment and even knew to give us chocolate." Alexis beamed at the bushy-haired girl and clapped even harder. "As to our second new appointment," Dumbledore said once the scattered applause for Remus faded, "I am sorry to tell you that Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs. However, I am delighted to say that this place will be filled by none other than Rubeus Hagrid, who has agreed to take on this teaching job in addition to his game keeping duties."

The entire student body fell silent for a moment as the news sank in. Then a huge applause erupted, especially at the Gryffindor table though the Slytherins were looking positively scandalized and utterly mutinous.

Although Alexis liked Hagrid well enough though he wasn't sure the gamekeeper returned the favor, he was suddenly very glad he had opted not to take Care of Magical Creatures. It didn't take a Seer to know Hagrid's love of dangerous creatures was definitely going to lead to some major problems this year. Still, looking up at Hagrid beaming at the staff table, Alexis felt happy for him. After the usual warnings and rule reminders Dumbledore's speech came to end and the much anticipated feast began. Alexis didn't realize how hungry he was until the table was suddenly covered with delicious food.

Helping himself to some pork chops, a baked potato and some green beans, Alexis immediately tucked into the delicious food. While enjoying his dinner and talking to Hermione about their upcoming lessons, Alexis listened to the laughter and chatter around here. True, Alexis wasn't always happy here but he was glad to be back. He glanced up at the staff table and his gaze locked with Remus's for a moment. Remus gave him a small, but worried smile no doubt concerned by the large gaps in seating around Alexis but the latter beamed back at him.

'You worry too much,' Alexis mouthed up at his father. Remus barely smothered a laugh but his smiled widened substantially before he looked away to prevent anyone from noticing the exchange. Alexis smiled slightly and shook his head. Remus really did worry too much, he always had. Still, Alexis was grateful Remus was going to be here this year and was glad to see him so happy.

If anyone deserved to be happy it was his dad.

* * *

Andromeda's hand was shaking so bad she could barely hold the teapot steady. In truth, her entire body was shaking but it nothing compared to her hands. She wasn't sure why she was so nervous, after all, she knew this man, and Kingsley had been Nymphadora's friend since she started her Auror training. They had even had the man over for dinner several times and Andromeda liked him a great deal as did Ted and besides, it wasn't as if she had anything to hide. So why was she so terrified?

"I honestly don't know what I help I can be Mr. Shacklebolt," Andromeda said, managing by some miracle to pour him a cup of tea without so much as spilling a drop. It was so strange addressing Nymphadora's friend so formally but this wasn't a social call. This was about Sirius. "I just to ask you a few questions Mrs. Tonks," Kingsley reassured her in his deep soothing voice as he took a sip of his tea. "We're questioning all of Black's relatives."

Andromeda folded her hands in her lap to stop them from shaking and smiled wanly. "Well then you'll be done rather quickly. There aren't many of us left I'm afraid." Kingsley smiled slightly and inclined his head politely. "When was the last time you saw Black?" he asked, setting a few sheets of parchment and a red Recorder Quill on the coffee table to record their conversation after gaining her consent to do so. "About two months before. . .before it happened," Andromeda said, struggling to keep her voice steady. It hurt talking about he'd done, even all these years later.

Andromeda took a deep breath, steeling herself before going on. "It was the first time I'd seen him in a month. We both had our own lives and families, plus with everything that was going on there wasn't a whole lot of time to get together." Kingsley nodded as the quill scratched on and on. "How did he seem?" he asked. Andromeda could see that night so clearly, she'd dreamed about it for months afterwards and thought about it to this very day just searching for some sign, some indication of what was to come.

"Fine, tired and stressed out, but everybody was at that point," she answered honestly. She wished there some explanation she could give, some answer as to why Sirius had done what he did. But she had gone over the memory a thousand times and knew there was none. "Did you discuss the war at all?" Kingsley pressed, fishing for answers that wouldn't there. Andromeda smiled almost sadly.

"No not really, we talked a bit about Marlene, that's Marlene McKinnon," Andromeda added upon seeing Kingsley's confused look. "She had just died a few months earlier, they got her entire family." Kingsley's face darkened and his expression turned grave and solemn. Andromeda nodded in affirmation at the sadness of it all. "Mostly we just made small talk, talked about the kids and things like that, trying to pretend everything was normal for a few hours," Andromeda said with a small, sad smile.

Unfortunately, the pretending never lasted long and after awhile it got harder and harder to do. "And that was the last time you saw Black?" Andromeda nodded. She could tell by Kingsley's expression that he was disappointed, that he had hoped she'd had all the answers. But in reality, she was just as confused as everyone else.

"Since his escape, has Black tried to contact you at all?" Kingsley asked a moment and the quill immediate began writing once more. "No, I'd have told the Ministry if he had," she said firmly. Once upon a time she had loved Sirius more than anything but as much as it hurt she realized that she had never really known him. No one had. Kingsley nodded approvingly.

"Can you think of anywhere he might try to hide?" Again, Andromeda shook her head. "His old flat got sold years ago and he was disowned by his parents and banned from their house long before that. He once told me the only place he ever really felt at home was Hogwarts," she explained. Kingsley sighed heavily and rubbed the bridge of his nose. Clearly this was information he already knew. "What about friends, anyone that might try and hide him?" he asked suddenly.

"With the exception of Remus Lupin they're pretty much all dead and I doubt there is anyone still alive that would hide him, not after what he did," she said heavily. _You're a liar_, a nasty voice in the back of her mind said. _She'd hide him in a second and you know it._ "What about his sister Cassiopeia Black?" Kingsley pressed, perhaps reading the look on her face. Andromeda hesitated, wringing her hands nervously.

After all these years and all that had been said, Andromeda still wanted to protect her. "I can't honestly say," she said finally, reluctantly. "I haven't seen Cassie since 1991." This seemed to get the Auror's attention and he fixed his sharp gaze on him. "Two years. That's a long time not to see you're only remaining cousin," he said meaningfully.

Andromeda smiled darkly, sadly. "We had a bit of a falling out after Nymphadora graduated from Hogwarts and haven't spoken since though I think Nymphadora writes her sometimes. They were always close," she said, her face softening slightly. The scratching of the quill filled the silence. "Was the falling out about Black?" "Yes," Andromeda said quietly.

"She thinks he's innocent, that this all some big, terrible mistake and I finally told her she was in denial and that she needed to admit what he'd done and move on with her life," Andromeda said tightly. It hurt remembering that moment, seeing the mixture of sadness and pain on Cassie's beautiful face. She felt guilty about the way she had said it but not that she had said it, someone needed to. "And she just walked out the door and never looked back. She didn't get angry, Cassie doesn't get angry. She just walked away." Andromeda looked away for a moment and wiped her eyes but thankfully Kingsley was enough of a gentleman to pretend he hadn't noticed.

Kingsley opened his thick dragon hide folder and shuffled through the mess of papers within. "Do happen to have a current address for Madam Black? All we have is her last address," he said, pulling a maroon sheet of parchment from the Department of Housing and Living which kept track of witches and wizards living in Britain. "Flat thirteen, Paradise Estates, Old Compton Street, Soho, London." Andromeda stared at Kingsley in a mixture of surprise and confusion. "Mr. Shacklebolt, that's not her last address, that _is_ her address," Andromeda said, causing the seasoned Auror's eyes widen in surprise.

"Cassie's lived there for fourteen years."


	10. Chapter 9: A Different Kind of Casualty

Chapter Nine: A Different Kind of Casualty 

Kingsley wasn't sure what he was expecting. Table of Contents was a small Occult bookshop in Bloomsbury just five km from the British Museum at the end of a row of shops. He would have walked right past it had he not seen the purple pentacle painted on the sidewalk. Golden lettering on the glass of the cast-iron door read: _**Tables of Contents: Occult Books and Supplies**__._ The shop was a cool dimly lit, high-ceilinged space filled with massive mahogany shelves.

A deep balcony ran around the walls halfway up, with more bookshelves and shabby armchairs nearly hidden in alcoves. The first floor shelves lined the walls and divided the shop into halves. Handwritten category signs topped the selves: _Magick, Tarot, Divination, Herbs, Rituals, Sabbats, Healing, Scrying,_ and within each category was a subcategory. The air was heavy with old magic. He found Cassiopeia Black on the other side of the store.

She was restocking a self filled every kind of candle in every color, shape, and size a person could imagine. The slight witch looked up when she heard him approached but did not looked surprised. "Cassiopeia Black?" She shot him a weary look and placed a final star shaped votive on the shelf. "We're both aware of who I am," she said, taking up her walking stick, which had been leaning up against the shelf.

"Is there a private place we can speak?" he asked. Though the store was empty, there were several massive windows. Cassiopeia nodded and motioned to the black metal staircase leading to the balcony floor. "My office is upstairs, please follow me," she said. Kingsley nodded and followed her up the stairs, though he was a bit shocked by her manners which would not have seemed out of place at a society party but in the cramped occult shop seemed like an anachronism.

On the balcony floor, a young man who looked to be about twenty with thick black glasses and a ragged dirty blonde ponytail was stocking a shelf in a section labeled _Amulets, Talismans, and Charms._ He jumped when he heard their footsteps on the stairs and dropped several thick volumes to the floor. Blushing furiously he scrambled to pick them up and straightened quickly. Cassiopeia smiled kindly at him and the boy seemed to relax instantly though his magnified eyes were fixed on Kingsley who frowned slightly. Why did he look so bloody terrified?

"Matt, can you watch the store for a bit and make sure no one disturbs us?" she asked. Matt nodded, pushing his glasses up on his nose as they kept slipping down. "No problem Cassie," he said. Cassiopeia smiled kindly and nodded gratefully, "Thanks darling." Matt blushed furiously and hurried down the stairs, nearly tripping over his own feet.

Kingsley followed Cassiopeia to the very back of the shop. "That boy, is he a Muggle?" Kingsley said in an undertone. Cassiopeia gave him a sardonic smile over her shoulder as she opened a nearly invisible wrought iron door. "What witch or wizard would ever work for me?" she said simply, leading him inside. Her office was little bigger than a closet with a window containing only a large desk and an overstuffed bookcase that was leaning slightly to the left with the weight of the books.

There was beautiful painting on the wall behind the desk of the ocean done in such vibrant colors that the waves seemed to be moving. "Sit, please," Cassiopeia said, taking her place behind the desk. Kingsley inclined his head politely and sat down across from her. He wasn't sure what he was expecting but it certainly wasn't her. How strange to think this overly pale, too thin yet stunningly beautiful girl dressed not unlike a mourner was Sirius Black's sister.

She was nearly as infamous as her older brother at the Ministry. Kingsley extended his hand to her across the desk. "Forgive me for not introducing myself, I'm Kingsley Shacklebolt." Cassiopeia's startling eyes shifted from his hand to his face before finally taking it in her own. Her hand felt thin and delicate beneath his fingers. "You're my first cousin Nymphadora Tonks's friend," she said unexpectedly once they released hands.

"I recognize you from a picture in her flat." Kingsley nodded in acknowledgment but said nothing. He prayed silently it was a picture from a department function and not of him, Tonks, and their friends at the Leaky Cauldron. "Now, Madam Black, I have a few questions about your brother Sirius Black," he said, retrieving some parchment and the red Recorder Quill from the briefcase he was carrying. "Do I have your permission to use a Recorder Quill during questioning?"

"You do." At her words, the quill sprang to life and stood straight up on the parchment Kingsley had placed on the desk. "Excellent, could you please state your name for the record?" he asked. It was always best to be polite in these situations. You caught more bowtruckles with rice than with dirt after all.

"Cassiopeia Astrid Black," Cassiopeia said as the quill immediately scratched out her response. "When did you last see Sirius Black?" Kingsley asked. It was best to get right to the point with someone like her. "Halloween 1981, he came by my flat in the middle of the night to see his son Alexander, it was his birthday and since we had the party at my flat I was babysitting him," she said. With great difficulty, Kingsley kept his face neutral.

No one had ever said anything about that though there were records of Cassiopeia being questioned for several hours after her brother's arrest. Why had no one ever mentioned this? "He was a wreak, terrified and shaking from head to foot," Cassiopeia said without being prompted. "I'd never seen him so scared and given the childhood that we had that is truly saying something." Scared?

What on earth could Sirius Black, Voldemort's right hand man have to be scared of? Not of capture surely, Kingsley could vividly remember him standing in front of those blood stained robes and laughing. No, Black had not been afraid of them, hell, he didn't even resist as they arrested him. "Did he tell you what he was afraid of?" Kingsley pressed. Something in her sapphire gaze flickered slightly, but only for a moment.

"No, he said there wasn't time, whatever that meant," Cassiopeia said, sighing heavily. Not enough time? Was he talking about being captured perhaps? "Did he say anything to you?" Pain flickered briefly across her beautiful features but it was gone a second later.

"He made me promise to look after his son. The last thing he said to me was that he loved me and that was he was sorry. He kept saying that he was sorry, then he left," she said with the air of a bard retelling a tragic epic. Her sapphire gaze met his brown one evenly. She looked so tired, so weary. "I believe you know the rest of the story." Black had never once expressed remorse for his heinous crimes but he had begged his sister's forgiveness.

Why? And for what was he apologizing for? "Did he say what he was sorry for?" Kingsley pressed. She was his bloody sister! Surely she had some answers!

But to his disappointment, Cassiopeia simply shook her head. Wonderful, yet another dead end. At this rate he'd retire before they recaptured Black! "Has he tried to contact you since his escape from Azkaban?" Kingsley asked after taking a deep breath to calm himself. "No but I wish he would, he knows how I worry," she said casually as if he had merely inquired if she'd heard from a friend who was away on holiday.

Kingsley stared at her in shock for several moments. Surely she wasn't stupid enough to say that out loud was she? Apparently, Cassiopeia Black was not as intelligent as people said. "You want him to contact you?" he repeated just to make sure he had heard her correctly. "Yes, well, I tend to worry a lot and I'd feel much better if I heard from him," Cassiopeia replied, smiling at the incredulously look on his face.

"Is it such a sin to love one's brother?" she asked thoughtfully. For several moments, Kingsley could only stare at her. She still loved him. After all this time, she still loved him. God, you could see it on her face, hear in her voice.

It was there for all the world to see and she didn't even care. "He's a murderer," Kingsley said finally. Her eyes darkened and in that moment Kingsley could see the dark wizarding line she had been bore from. But only for a moment because a second later she smiled, she actually smiled at him. "He's my brother," Cassiopeia said simply as if that explained everything.

"Would you tell the Ministry if he tried to contact you?" Kingsley asked though he had a terrible feeling he already knew the answer. "No of course not but I expect you knew that," she said waving her hand dismissively. "Do know where he is?" "If I did I certainly wouldn't be sitting here now would I?" The scratching of the quill filled the heavy silence.

"If you did, would tell me?" he asked. Kingsley knew he should be angry. He knew he should despise this woman, Black's sister. But he doesn't, not in the slightest. "No," she said simply.

Kingsley sighed heavily, "I think we're finished here Madam Black." With that, the quill fell limp and lifeless atop the parchment, all of which he placed back into the briefcase he was carrying. Cassiopeia walked him all the way to the door. "I'll be in contact again soon," he said. "Yes, I expect you will," she said with a faint albeit amused smile.

Then, to his shock and utter confusion, she extended her hand to him. "It was nice to meet you Mr. Shacklebolt in spite of the circumstances," Cassiopeia said. Kingsley could only nod as he took her hand in his once more. She tightened her grip when he moved to let go. For someone so small she was quite strong.

"You're a good man Mr. Shacklebolt, don't let this job make you into something you're not," she said quietly, her eyes bearing into his own. Her gaze was actually quiet unnerving. He gave a shot nod and she released his hand. "Good day Madam Black," Kingsley said, quite eager to leave the shop. "Good day Mr. Shacklebolt."

With that, he stepped out of the bookshop and into the bright sunlight. Cassiopeia was still watching from the doorway. She had the manners of society expected of a pureblood all while wearing a faded David Bowie t-shirt. No, Kingsley didn't hate her. The entire Ministry did and the nearly all the rest of wizarding world did.

He should but he didn't. Instead, looking back at the too thin, too pale woman dressed all in black standing in the doorway, he felt nothing but sorrow for her. She may not have been killed that Halloween night but she is just as much of a casualty.


	11. Chapter 10: The First Week

Chapter Ten: The First Week 

Alexis wasn't exactly sure who said you have to take the good with the bad but he did know that he wanted to hit them. Very, very hard. Compared to his first week back at Hogwarts, the pervious two years seemed like paradise. Before it had seemed only a few older students knew that he was Sirius Black's son but it seemed the information had spread through the school like a deadly, fast acting poison from which there no escape. And the people who weren't utterly terrified of him were extraordinarily cruel.

When people weren't skirting around Alexis in corridors and shooting him looks of complete terror and utter disgust and hatred, they were muttering, pointing, and whispering every time he was in sight and probably when he was out of sight of that matter. He had even come upon a small group of teacher whispering in the hallway only to have them stop speaking the minute Professor Sprout caught sight of him. While Alexis was used to this kind of treatment by his classmates, having his teachers treat him in such a way had hurt quite a bit. Many, if not all them, now treated him rather coldly. No one wanted to sit by him in class and the professors did not force anyone to do so.

Well, almost no one. "Miss Brown you can either take the seat beside Mr. Black or you will remove yourself from my classroom," McGonagall snapped at a very shell shocked looking Lavender Brown on their first day of Transfiguration. Lavender opened her mouth to protest but one look at McGonagall's face made the compliant die in her throat. She took the desk beside Alexis but never once looked at him throughout the entire class, ending the whole debacle by running out the room as if the devil himself were hot on her heels. That was what Alexis always liked most about Professor McGonagall, whatever her personal feelings towards you were she always treated everyone the same.

And as Alexis tried to deny it or at the very least pretend he didn't notice, he could tell from the way the Transfiguration teacher looked at him now exactly how she felt about him. He started making a point of being the last one in the class so that he could take the very last seat in the very back of the class. It was just easier that way. Besides, it lessoned the chance of being hexed from behind which had already happened about a dozen times. Even Alexis's Gryffindor housemates seemed afraid of him.

First and second years tended to yelp and run up to their dorm whenever Alexis entered the common room. Dean, Seamus, and Neville all made a point of going up to bed after Alexis as if worried he'd curse them when their backs were turned. Neville especially seemed to be doing all he could to avoid Alexis. Even Ron Weasley, whom Alexis had always been on tentative good terms with tended to go very pale whenever he was around and didn't like being in the same room with him unless absolutely necessary. "They'll come around mate," Harry told him on their second night back in the tower.

It seemed Alexis had been right and Harry knew nothing about his own connection to Sirius Black. This had hurt knowing how much his parents had loved Harry but Alexis made no attempt to rectify that. It was selfish, he knew, but Alexis didn't want to lose his god brother just yet. Hermione was as nice to him as she had always had been which Alexis was grateful for, she had even told off Ernie McMillan in Herbology for refusing to share a tray with Alexis. Still, there was only so much she could do.

And then there was the hexing. A few brave souls seemed to have decided to prove themselves by taking on Sirius Black's son. Well, not so much taking on as hexing and jinxing from behind pillars, doors, and even a tapestry once or twice. His bag had been ripped open twice; he had been tripped more times than he could count leaving both his knees heavily bruised from striking the hard stone floors so often. If Alexis had not been taught to defend himself by his aunt and father, the damage being done to him would probably be a lot worse.

Aside from that, school was still school and Alexis was enjoying his new classes. Ancient Runes was a fascinating subject was quickly becoming his favorite class. However, after having one class with the death omen obsessed giant glittering insect that was Professor Trelawney, Alexis was starting to think Remus was right about Divination being utterly useless. When she had called his name during roll on the first day of class, Professor Trelawney cried out dramatically, saying that he had been born under a dark star and that those born in May were especially susceptible to such misfortune. "Well I was born in October so does that mean I don't have anything to worry about?" Alexis had responded innocently, causing several people to laugh while Trelawney, Lavender, and Parvarti looked utterly offended.

Alexis spent the entire first class wondering if it was too late for him to transfer to Arithmancy. When he went to see McGonagall at lunch, she said that while she never spoke ill of her colleagues, she agreed that no one should have to endure Professor Trelawney if they didn't want to but unfortunately for Alexis, he was in fact stuck there until next year. Lucky for him, it was fairly easy to simply zone out in Divination and not have to worry about missing much. Alexis had soon discovered one could always count on Professor Snape for continuity. Snape had spent the last two years pretending he didn't exist and showed no desire to do anything else this year.

It was nice to know some things never changed. Even if it was just being continuously ignored by your potions master. Alexis tried not to dwell on how utterly pathetic it was that he found this comforting. The only person in Hogwarts having a worst first week back than Alexis was the newly appointed Professor Hagrid. During his very first Care of Magical Creatures class, Draco Malfoy had been attacked by a Hippogriff.

Now the whole of Gryffindor was worried that Hagrid would be fired. But Alexis had the feeling this was the least of their worries. Firstly, there was no way Dumbledore would ever fire Hagrid. And secondly, the one they should be worried about was Mr. friends-in-very-high-place-Malfoy. In Alexis's opinion, they should probably consider themselves lucky if the Hippogriff made it out of this whole debacle with its head still attached, not that anyone cared what he thought anyway, aside from Hermione Granger that is.

Still, as depressing as this year was promising to be, Alexis did manage to find something to be happy about. Defense Against the Dark Arts was quickly becoming everyone's favorite class. Well most everyone. Leave to the Slytherins to complain and find fault where there was absolutely nothing wrong. Again, Alexis was well aware of how pathetic it was to find solace in the familiarity of that fact.

* * *

Since he was busy his school work and doing his best not to be murdered or at last cursed into oblivion every time he left Gryffindor Tower, Alexis didn't have a chance to visit Remus until the weekend. Unfortunately, he was halfway to Remus's office when someone hit him with a Stinging Hex. Fortunately for whomever it was that shot the hex from behind a bust of very ugly witch; they took off before Alexis could respond in kind. Carefully cradling his now bright red and painfully throbbing left hand, which was thankfully the only part of him the poorly amid hex had struck, Alexis headed back up the stairs to the hospital wing. Lucky for him the person was such a poor shot.

"How exactly did this happen?" Madame Pompfry asked as she applied a thick yellow paste to his injury. The pain vanished the second the paste touched the throbbing wound, though it was still looked raw and inflamed. The person may have been a poor aim but they certainly weren't a poor spell caster. "I was going up to the owlry and someone hiding behind that ugl—interesting witch statue near the broom closet hit me with a Stinging Hex," Alexis explained. Madame Pompfry shook her head disapprovingly, dabbing the wound with a clear potion before bandaging his hand securely.

"You should report this to Professor McGonagall immediately, this is the third time I've seen you and we've only been in school a week," the matron said as she tied off the bandage. Alexis couldn't help but smile at her indignation. Apparently Madame Pompfry didn't like to see any of her students hurt, even if that student was the son of mass murdering escaped convict Voldemort supporter. "It might help if I knew who it was that did it," Alexis pointed out. The matron regarded him wearily and shook her head.

"Tell me Alexander is stubbornness a Black family because your father was always a particularly hard headed individual as if I remember correctly," Madame Pompfry said irritably but to Alexis's surprise she was smiling faintly. "Stubbornness, devilishly good looks, and razor sharp wit," Alexis said with a grin. Madame Pompfry sighed wearily though her faint smile had widened considerably. "The wound should be healed by Sunday morning but if it hasn't improved come see me straight away." Alexis nodded, knowing better than to argue with matron.

"Thanks Madame Pompfry," Alexis said, hopping of the edge of the bed he had been sitting on. "I'll see you Sunday unless I'm gravely injured beforehand!" Alexis called over his shoulder by way of a goodbye as he exited the hospital wing. Poppy watched him sadly. She had feeling she was going to be seeing a lot of him this year.

* * *

"I was beginning to think you'd forgotten about me," Remus said with a grin as soon as Alexis entered his private quarters and shut the door behind him. It was against the rules to have to students in your private quarters and they probably shouldn't be risking it but Remus wanted so badly to see his son. "I missed you too dad," Alexis said with a smile. Remus beamed and folded Alexis into his arms, embracing him as if they'd been apart a year instead of just a week. Alexis held Remus just as tight, feeling so relieved to be in his arms even just for a moment.

"Come on, I'll give you the grand tour," Remus said proudly when they broke apart. Alexis smiled, glad to his father so happy and let him lead him around his new living quarters. Although the area was small, it was quite nice and very homey. There was a small bedroom with a bathroom and a small sitting area with a sofa and two overstuffed armchairs. "It's really nice here dad," Alexis said, sitting down in the armchair nearest the fire.

Easily the best thing about Remus's quarters was the massive window that looked over the Quidditch pitch and the Forbidden Forest which much less menacing and even beautiful in the fading daylight. "I definitely like the view," Alexis said, pulling his sketchbook from his bag to make a quick sketch of the sun setting behind the forest while Remus made some tea. "That's my favorite thing too," Remus said, smiling at Alexis over his shoulder. "That and twenty-four hour access to the library." Alexis laughed and shook his head in mock weariness.

"You're obsessed with books you know that dad?" Alexis said. Not that he wasn't just as much of a book addict as Remus was. When one grows up with Remus one becomes a lover of books. "And you're obsessed with drawing," Remus responded, carrying over a tray of tea and biscuits to set on the table between them as he settled on the sofa adjacent Alexis. "I wouldn't call it an obsession," Alexis said, helping himself to a cup of tea and a chocolate biscuit.

Remus's second obsession would definitely be chocolate. "Oh, and what would you call it?" Remus asked, his eyes gleaming mischievously. "Fanatical devotion," Alexis responded seriously. "Obsession is for amateurs." Remus burst out laughing and shook his head.

"Fair enough, so how was your first week?" Remus asked, taking a sip of his own tea. Alexis told Remus about his first week back at school censoring it as much as he possibly could. He didn't want his father worrying about him on top of everything else. "Do you like your new classes?" Remus asked once Alexis had finished. "I love Ancient Runes but I think you were right about Divination," Alexis said with a slight smile.

"Low and behold, a Black actually admitted I was right about something. I think this maybe a sign of the Apocalypse," Remus said a grin only to have it falter into sadness a second later. That happened sometimes when he mentioned Alexis's father without realizing what he had done. "I said I _think_ you might be right," Alexis corrected, reaching out to grip Remus's hand briefly. Remus smiled faintly and squeezed his hand back.

And when Remus glanced down he saw the bandage on his son's hand. "Alexis, how did this happen?" Remus asked in concern, lifting his hand up to examine it. Alexis sighed heavily but made no attempt to pull his hand away. "Stinging Hex, Madame Pompfry said it should be healed up by tomorrow," Alexis said. He hadn't wanted to tell Remus about any of this but it looked like fate had other plans.

"Who did this?" Remus said, raising his gaze from Alexis's bandaged hand to his grey eyes. Alexis shrugged, "I don't know, they were hiding behind that really ugly witch statue you pass on the way up here," he explained. "By the time I turned around they were gone." Remus released Alexis's hand and sighed heavily, running a hand through his graying hair. He knew things would difficult for Alexis but he didn't think people would actually hex him.

"Is this the first time this has happened since you've been back?" he asked. Alexis sighed again, reaching up to play with his pentacle. It was a habit of his when he was nervous. "No, there have been a couple of Tripping Hexes and stupid things like that but this is there first time there has been any real damage," Alexis said though his badly bruised knees would beg to differ. And apparently so would his dad because he groaned and lowered his head wearily into his hands.

"Alexis, why didn't you tell me?" he asked heavily. Alexis regarded him sadly, regretfully. The last thing Remus needed was something else to worry about. "Because I didn't want you to worry about me, you've got enough on your plate already without my problems," Alexis admitted reluctantly. Remus stared at him in shock for several long moments before resting his hands on his son's thin shoulders.

"Alexis, I'm your father and I love you more than anything," he began slowly. "And if you're being hurt you need to tell me. Your problems aren't a burden to me, they never have been and they never will be." Alexis knew that, of course he did and Gods was he grateful for it. But he wasn't a little kid anymore; he was almost fourteen years old and was more than capable of taking care of himself. "I know that dad and I love you too but I just—I dunno, I thought I could handle it on my own," Alexis said reluctantly. Remus sighed heavily and released Alexis's shoulders, smoothing the hair from the teenager's face. Gods, sometimes he was so much like Sirius it was scary. Remus had never loved anyone as much as he loved Alexis or worried about anyone more.

The last thing he wanted was for Alexis to suffer because of who his father was. "You need to tell Professor McGonagall if it happens again and if it keeps happening you need to write Cassie," Remus said after a moment. Getting Cassie involved was the last thing Remus wanted to do but if this continued he'd do it himself. Cassie was very protective of her family and if she found out what was going on at Hogwarts it would be like the Valkeryies unleashed. And this was the last thing Remus wanted given all that was going on with Sirius's escape, but protecting Alexis was what mattered and if he had to do it he would.

"I will," Alexis said, gripping Remus's hand reassuringly in his own. He had no intention of doing any such thing. Remus smiled slightly and returned the gesture. "I can't imagine how hard it is for you," Remus said after a moment, "being his son." Alexis smiled wanly.

_Yeah, _he thought_, but I wouldn't change it for anything in the world._ "I'm glad you're here this year," Alexis said with a grin. "It's nice having someone to talk to; I don't have a lot of friends." Remus bit his lip but didn't say anything. At least he could look after Alexis as his teacher if not as his father.

_No one ever protected Sirius,_ Remus thought against his will. It hurt thinking about Sirius, it always had, but the pain had become much more acute since his escape. _Maybe that's why things turned out the way they did_. Remus looked over at Alexis and smiled, gripping his bandaged hand lightly. He'd look after him no matter what it took.

* * *

Although Hecate's Inn did a good business, a very good business in fact, no one who goes there would ever actually admit to going there. And why would they? The little pub was nestled at the very back of Knockturn Alley, just past Borgin and Burkes. There was nothing announcing it's presence save for a small weather beaten wooden sign hanging from a rusted iron bracket over an ancient wooden door. There wasn't even a name on the sign, just a curled up black cat with gleaming gold eyes. Respectable witches and wizards certainly did not come to a place like that, at least not that they admitted.

Whereas the Leaky Cauldron was dark and shabby, Hecate's Inn was positively sinister but certainly not shabby. Although it was rather old and dimly lit, the little pub was absolutely spotless and cleaned from top to bottom daily by a team of very well trained house elves. And although Hecate's Inn would never have the reputation of the famed Leaky Cauldron and attracted some very insalubrious cliental, Amber Rosier wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. Amber had been running the pub for the last three years, ever since her brother-in-law Andrew Marquet's death. About bloody time too, Amber was certainly glad she was no longer his errand girl or the object of his warped affection.

She and Amelia may have been identical twins but the same person they were not. Amelia. Even now, fifteen years later the pain was as raw as if Amelia had died yesterday. A part of Amber would always be missing. Her heart would never truly be whole because half of it was gone forever. His wife's death had broken Andrew.

He was a pathetic, stupid old man. Amber might have pitied him if she didn't hate him so. Their father had married Amelia to Andrew, a man twenty years her senior when she was just seventeen because keeping their blood pure was of the utmost importance. Amber couldn't agree more but wished he could have found Amelia someone younger, someone stronger. Someone who could have protected her.

Someone who wouldn't have persuaded his teenage wife to take the Dark Mark. Amelia had been married just six months when she was killed. Andrew blamed himself for his beautiful young wife's death and Amber never let him forget it. Their father married Amber to Evan Rosier before she even stopped grieving for her beloved Amelia. Evan was ten years her senior and treated her like a princess upon a pedestal. He was a quiet, reedy man who asked little of her save for that she keep his house and be the beautiful bauble on his arm when need be.

It was a good match, the kind Amelia should have had. The kind Amelia deserved. Although Evan, like Andrew had taken the Mark he positively scoffed at the idea of her doing so. His beautiful wife belonged at home, caring for his massive manor not fighting at the Dark Lord's side. That was a man's place, he said.

Evan was dead a month after the Dark Lord fell. He died like a hero rather than be captured and left her more money than she could spend in a lifetime. But the life of a society wife was not for Amelia, unlike that pathetic weakling Narcissa who was content to spend her life in gilded cage. And so Amelia had sought out her former brother-in-law, her sister's murderer and worked beside him.

Although he was just as much of a misogynist as Evan had been, Andrew couldn't deny Amber anything. Having her there, for him, was as good as having Amelia back. The pathetic, whining fool. Oh how she hated him! But that was the past and Amber never let herself think about the past.

Until one night in the second week of September when her past walked through the door.

The moment she walked through the door Amber rushed out from behind the bar and yanked the slight creature into her arms. She could've cried when the other woman hugged her just as close. Amber always knew she'd come back, that she'd see the error of her ways and return to the right side just like Regulus and Sirius had. Cassie was a pureblood after all. When they drew apart, Amber ordered an elf to fetch some goblets and a bottle of their finest elf-made wine as she pulled her old friend to a private booth in the back.

"It's been too long," Amber said as they sat down. She felt her heart soar when she saw the necklace bearing the Black family crest around Cassie's pale throat. The prodigal daughter had returned at last. "Far too long," Cassie agreed though her express was sad.

"Have you been well?" Amber asked. It had been so long and she had so missed her old school mate terribly. Cassie inclined her head as the elf poured the rich red wine for them. "Very well and yourself?" "Wonderful," Amber said cheerfully, reaching across the table to clasp Cassie's slender hand in hers, "I missed you so much."

Cassie smiled softly, squeezing Amber's hand back. "I missed you too, Amber." For one brief moment it was not Cassie but Amelia smiling back at her across the table. "I need your help Am." Cassie's voice jerked Amber to the present.

"Anything," she said quickly. Purebloods had to stick together after all. "Have you heard anything about my brother? Where he might be hiding or if anyone has seen him?" Cassie asked, her iridescent eyes pleading, desperate. Feeling her heart sink, Amber shook her head, wishing she had better news. "Everyone is talking about him but no one knows where he is but don't worry," Amber added quickly, gripping her hand comfortingly.

"You two will be welcomed back into the fold with honors when the Dark Lord returns. Sirius is a hero and you are so brave for standing beside him." For a brief moment Amber thought she saw something flicker on Cassie's face but only for a moment. _It must have been a trick of the light,_ Amber decided. Although she could tell Cassie was disappointed she stayed until closing, laughing and talking as if they were still back in the Slytherin common room with her dear Amelia and pretty Caprica Malfoy.

"Come back soon," Amber said as the two old friends embraced once more. "I will Amber, it was so good seeing you," Cassie said, holding her childhood friend fiercely. "I'll contact you right away if I hear anything about Sirius." "Thank you so much Am." Amber stood in the doorway watching Cassie until the other woman had vanished from sight before she went back inside.

Amber smiled to herself as she cleaned the delicate crystal goblets. _They always come back in the end_, she thought cheerfully. And how wonderful things would be when the Blacks could once more take their place beside her when the Dark Lord returned!

* * *

It was well after two o'clock in the morning when Cassie returned to her flat and sank weakly onto the floor in front of altar. Angrily, she all but ripped the pendant from her neck and tossed it across the room, scaring poor Salazar half to death. She should have thrown the bloody thing into the Thames! Gods why did she have to go to that awful place? And Amber, Gods what had happened to Amber!

Where was the girl Cassie used to read _Witch Weekly_ with in History of Magic, giggling quietly while Binns drowned on and on? Cassie sighed heavily and lit the altar candles with her wand. Amelia dying in that Death Eater attack was happened to her. Being married off to that scum Evan Rosier before her twin was lukewarm in the ground was what happened to her. Amber never had a chance.

Cassie sighed again and reached up to undo her thick plait, letting her raven hair spill down her back. It wouldn't be the last time she went to a place like that and saw former classmates, worse still former childhood friends who had joined Voldemort's cause. _Goddess, Mother of Us All, Give me strength and guidance,_ Cassie prayed silently. It was going to be painful to say the least. And then she thought of Sirius, her older brother and best friend.

Painful, yes, but absolutely worth it.


	12. Chapter 11: Life’s Constants

Chapter Eleven: Life's Constants

Cassie Black was a lot of things and Cygnus Black had decided long ago that he didn't and would probably never understand half of said things. But if there was one thing Cygnus could say about his niece it was that you could set your watch by her. She came to see him in the Long Term Care Ward at St. Mungo's every Wednesday at exactly three o'clock, as soon as visiting hours started. She had been coming to see him every Wednesday at three o'clock without fail for the last five years. The first time he looked up and saw her in the doorway, Cygnus didn't even recognize her.

It had been so very long since he had seen her face or even spoken her name aloud though it was not as if she had ever been far from his thoughts. Had it not been for her eyes, Cygnus might not have known her at all. It took several more moments before he even said her name. "Cassie?" The name sounded so strange on his tongue, like an ancient, forgotten language and for a moment he wondered if he was imagining the whole thing.

But then she smiled. There was no denying it was her then. She had Orion's smile, all his brother's children did. Her smile was different then he remembered as were her eyes; that was the first thing he noticed. Gone was the carefree innocence that used to shine in those sapphire pools, it was replaced by a weariness far beyond her years.

Her smile too seemed somnolent, as if she were merely doing it because that was she was expected to do. The war had changed many things and many people Cygnus supposed. Still, the sudden change had been rather disquieting at first. Whenever he had thought of her before then, in his mind she was sixteen years old, looking exactly as she had the day they buried Regulus. She was not same person, not by a long shot but he was still exactly the same and that been most disquieting.

He wasn't sure why she had come that day or why she had come every Wednesday ever since. And although he would never admit it to anyone, not even to himself, he was grateful she came. They never talked about the past. In truth, they never talked about anything of any real importance. Cassie never said much about her life and Cygnus never asked for fear that she would not come back but he wondered.

In truth, Cygnus knew little about her life save for that she still lived in her Soho flat and that she ran an Occult bookshop. She brought flowers; great bunches of lilacs and it was she who sent the white roses and calla lilies when Orion and Walburga died. It was comforting to know she still kept the Old Ways. Cygnus couldn't remember the last time he had prayed. She had always been so much observant than the rest of them except for maybe her brother.

He was proud she had kept her faith. Someone had to. He doubted Bella had ever really believed the only thing she believed in was power. Annie was a sweet girl and she had believed when she was a child but had understandably lost her faith because of their cruelty. Cissy was a follower, believing because it was what her mother expected of her and nothing more.

It made him proud because it was he who had taught the children about plants and herbs. He was glad at least one of them remembered his teachings. It was vain, he knew, but he was old man at the end of his life and didn't rightly care. And so he waited each week for her return. She had become the first and only constant in his life.

No sooner had he thought this than she appeared in the doorway of his room with the flowers in hand. It was three o'clock on the dot. "Hello Cassie," he said by way of greeting. She smiled slightly and chuckled but didn't say anything cheeky in response to his formal tone though he wished she would because it's what the old Cassie would have done. "Uncle Cygnus," she said, exchanging the old flowers for the new.

"You never throw them away," he remarked thoughtfully. "No, I take them home," Cassie said, pulling a chair up to his bedside. "Why?" "I dry them out, bury the seeds." Cygnus cocked his head and stared at her in puzzlement.

"I can't imagine where one would keep a garden in a flat," he said. Cassie laughed, smiling slightly. "Remus has a garden, but he doesn't garden so I'm free to do with it what I like," she explained. Ah yes, Remus, Sirius and Cassie's friend. The werewolf.

Still, he seemed like a kind man, quiet and much too serious for someone so young, but he was kind and he looked after Cassie so Cygnus couldn't care less what he was. "He's a teacher at Hogwarts now," Cassie said, actually sounding a little proud as she stared out the window. Cygnus couldn't help but smile. Only Albus Dumbledore would hire a werewolf as a teacher. "Does he like teaching? I daresay I wouldn't have the patience for it," Cygnus said with a crooked grin.

"Remus is probably a wonderful teacher. He's very good natured and kind, able to extract the best from people," she said with a soft smile. Cygnus wondered sometimes if he was her lover for she seemed to love him a great deal. But of course he would never ask her such a thing. "I miss him," she said suddenly. Cygnus stared at her in surprise.

She had never been so. . .so candid with him before. "It's strange, not to be able to talk to him whenever I want. He's my only friend and I miss him," she said, turning her sometimes unnerving but always beautiful sapphire gaze to meet his grey one. My only friend? Ah, being Sirius Black's sister was probably not such an easy burden to bear, still Cygnus was sure she'd had other friends. "What about that girl that used to come around sometimes?" he asked, "the Auror's daughter? She's your friend isn't she?" Cassie stared at him in confusion for several moments before realization dawned on her. "Mad-Eye's daughter Dylan, you mean? Oh, she moved to the States awhile back," she said simply. That was when he saw it, the necklace bearing the Black family crest and motto hanging from her pale throat.

He hadn't seen that in years. Hell, he thought she would have thrown it out after all this time. Why had she kept it? And why in the hell was she wearing it now? A thin hand reached up and lightly fingered the pendant. "It's not the most flattering accessory is it?" she said with a slight smirk.

"I have a ring that's just as ugly," Cygnus replied. "I'll leave it to you in my will, I know how you women like to accessorize." Today was one of those rare occasions when Cygnus actually made her laugh, really laugh. She used to laugh so easily he remembered; now it is small victory for him when she did. He couldn't help but notice that she laughed just like his Annie.

And so they sat and talked of nothing, though there was much he wanted to say and so much he wanted to ask. I'm sorry, so sorry for everything I didn't do. I love you. How is Annie? Does she still hate me? Do you hate me? Tell Annie I love her and that I'm so sorry. Are you happy? Does Alexander look like Sirius?

At six o'clock it was time for her to go. Just like clockwork. You could set your watch by her. Cassie got to her feet, leaning rather heavily on her hated walking stick. "I'll be back next week," she said, just like always.

"I hope I'll be here," he responded as usual. She smiled again, shaking her head as if she was the weary parent and he was the child. Annie did that a lot with Cissy he remembered fondly. Cassie leaned down and hugged him briefly, carefully, as if he were made of glass. He pressed her close, wishing that he could hold his own daughters like this but that time passed long ago because Bella is a monster, Annie too is long gone and Cissy so seldom visited anymore.

Cassie pulled away and smiled once more. "See you later Uncle Cygnus," she said with a small wave. "Goodbye Cassie." A moment later she was gone but he was still staring at the door. Cygnus settled back against the pillows and stared at the photos of Annie and Dora, the granddaughter he had never met Cassie brought him long ago.

Never of her. Never of Alexander. Cygnus smiled slightly, turning his faded gaze towards the ceiling. He understood now, perhaps he had always known this was what she would to. And although he would never admit it to anyone, not even to himself, Cygnus was looking forward to seeing his nephew again.

* * *

Dora was waiting on the front steps when she returned home. Cassie smiled faintly as her niece's bubble gum pink hair came into view when she turned the corner. "Wotcher Cassie!" Dora greeted happily, leaping off the stone steps and tripping over her own feet in the process. Cassie sighed and shook her head. Dora had always been hopelessly clumsy.

How the girl got to be an Auror she'd never know. "Hello Dora, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Cassie said, coming to stand beside the younger girl. Gods, when did Dora get to be so much taller than her? Dora smiled sheepishly, shifting from one foot to another which nearly caused her to trip again. "Mum's worried about you," she said honestly because she, like Ted whom Cassie had always been fond of, couldn't lie to save her own life.

"And she sent you to check up on me?" Cassie filled in wearily. Dora smiled slightly. "Yeah, something like that." Cassie sighed heavily, leaning against the stone banister of her building. "Your mother worries too much," she said finally.

"You're telling me! You wouldn't believe how worried she was when I moved out when I started my training," Dora said with a faint shiver. "Honestly! She thinks I'm two instead of twenty!" Cassie chuckled slightly but said nothing. She could understand why Annie would be worried about her clumsy, accident prone daughter living on her own. Cassie could distinctly remember a certain pink haired six year old that once set a bathtub on fire.

"Well, feel free to reassure her that I have been taking care of myself for years and see no reason to stop doing it now," Cassie replied, pushing herself off the banister to lean on her walking stick. Dora blushed, her face turning even brighter than her hair. "She misses you a lot, so do I," she said finally. Cassie smiled faintly, almost sadly. "I miss her too," she said simply.

_More than you'll even know._ Still there was no denying Annie's words had cut deep, deeper than Cassie thought she could still be hurt. And she still wasn't quite ready to forgive that. "Well now that I know you're alive would you like to come by my flat for tea tomorrow?" Dora asked brightly. Cassie smiled faintly and shook her head.

"Sorry darling, I have plans," she said, starting up the steps to the front door of her building. Dora stared at her in surprise for several moments before her face burst into a wide smile. "With who? Come on auntie spill it," she said eagerly. Cassie's smile widened slightly. "No one, I'm just going somewhere," she said, opening the door to her building.

"Oh, like out of the city or something?" Cassie smiled wistfully, as if she knew some sad secret and shook head. "I'm going home," she said simply. "Good night Dora, feel free to stop by anytime." And with that she vanished into the building leaving her very confused niece standing on the front stoop.


	13. Chapter 12: Encounters

Chapter Twelve: Encounters 

Three weeks into his third year, Alexis woke with a start. He was drenched in sweat; his hair was soaked and plastered to his clammy face. His heart thudded like a rabbit being chased by a fox, pumping fiercely against the oversized black t-shirt he had worn to bed. The crimson sheets were tangled beneath him, gripping him like a giant squid about to drag a doomed ship beneath the waves. Alexis took several deep, very shaky breaths, willing himself to calm down.

He hadn't had that nightmare in years, not since he was six or seven but it was still just as paralyzing to him at thirteen as it had been when he was a small child. A pale, long fingered hand snaked up to grip the pentacle around his neck. _It was just a dream, it was just a dream, and dad is fine, he's asleep in his quarters and he's perfectly fine. You're not going to lose him;_ Alexis kept saying over and over again, gripping the charm tighter and tighter. Finally, a sharp pain shot through his hand and jerked him back to reality. Alexis flopped back against the sweat soaked pillows, held up his hand and gazed at the red indentation that stood out livid against his pale skin.

There was no way he was going to get back to sleep. Sighing heavily, Alexis sat up once more and got rather shakily out of bed. A quick glance at the Irish National Team calendar hanging on his wall filled Alexis with a sudden nervous excitement. Quidditch tryouts were taking place this morning just before breakfast. With Katie Bell visiting her cousin in Chambord for the first half of term, there was spot open for a new Chaser.

Alexis had been practicing since tryouts had been announced. Although his dad being the perpetual worrier that he was, was a bit uneasy about Alexis playing such a dangerous sport, he was glad that Alexis was trying to interact with his peers more. Deciding that a little more practice couldn't hurt, Alexis took a brief shower and dressed quickly before grabbing his broom from inside his trunk. As quickly and as quietly as he could, Alexis made his way out of the dormitory. But not before grabbing hold of Hermione's great orange cat before it could sneak into their dormitory.

Although he thought Ron was being paranoid about the cat's malicious intent towards his rat there were other times he wasn't so sure. There was definitely something odd about that cat that was for sure. Alexis carried the cat down the stairs, not releasing it until he arrived in the common room. "Go on then, you don't want Ron to kick you like a football do you?" he said. The cat regarded him with its great yellow eyes before stalking away haughtily.

Shouldering his broom, Alexis clabbered out of the portrait hole and made his way towards the grounds. His footsteps echoed loudly in the emptiness of the early morning. Still it was nice to walk down the hall with worrying about being hexed and taunted. Pushing open the heavy doors, Alexis stepped out into the chill of the lonely hour that comes just before dawn when it was neither night nor day. Shivering faintly, Alexis wrapped his battered black hooded jacket bearing the faded emblem of the Irish National team more tightly around himself and hurried towards the deserted pitch.

Alexis mounted his broom and kicked off into the air. There nothing in this world better than flying. For as long as he could remember, Alexis had love flying. He could remember riding on his father's flying motorcycle when he was little, feeling the wind rushing past them as they flew above the city. Alexis smiled slightly at the memory, performing several laps around the pitch and through the goal posts.

By the time they sun had risen fully and the cold had been chased away, Alexis made his descent and hopped of his broom. Shrugging off his jacket because of the sudden warmth, Alexis picked up his broom and started towards the castle to get some breakfast. Until he saw the dog. Alexis stopped in his tracks halfway between the pitch and the castle, turning his gaze towards the edge of the Forbidden Forest. There was a massive black dog sitting at the base of an ancient tree and it was watching him intently with its pale eyes.

Alexis frowned in puzzlement. Had the dog walked all the way here from Hogsmeade? It had to of since neither staff nor students were allowed to keep dogs as pets at Hogwarts. Still, it seemed rather odd that a dog would venture so far from the village and into the forest no less. The cats usually avoided it like the plague because the dangers hidden within.

Alexis tentatively approached the bear like dog, noting the way it tensed as he got closer. The dog wasn't wearing a collar. Was it a stray? And if it was, what was doing all the way up here? Alexis took another step closer.

Suddenly the dog leapt to its feet with a surprising speed and tore off into the forest. Or at least it would have had its paw not been caught between two gnarled roots. The dog whined in pain, trying frantically to free its bloody paw. Alexis immediately rushed forward, kneeling down on the ground beside the wounded dog. "It's okay," Alexis said gently, reaching out to the distressed creature.

The dog whimpered mournfully, sinking down onto the forest floor and began trembling violently. Alexis's heart went out to the poor creature. He laid a gentle hand atop the dog's massive head, tenderly stroking the soft but matted fur. "It's okay, I'm not going to hurt you," Alexis reassured the dog. Poor thing.

It's thick, shaggy fur told the story of its hunger. The dog was ragged and panting, looking up at Alexis with pleading eyes. It was little more than a bag of bones covered by thick black fur. Alexis reached out and seized hold of the roots with both hands, pulling hard until the dog was able to free its paw. The dog tried to flee but whined in pain when its bloody paw touched the ground.

Whimpering mournfully, the dog sank to the ground, licking at its bloody paw. Alexis moved closer to the dog, withdrawing his wand. The dog whined and tensed as if it were about to be hit. "I'm not going to hurt you," Alexis said quickly, laying his hand atop the dog's head once more. Still stroking the dog's soft fur, Alexis tapped its massive paw with his wand and healed the wound. He had always been very skilled with healing spells, probably from watching Cassie tend his father after the full moon ever since he was a small child.

The dog hesitated before nuzzling Alexis in thanks with its massive head. Alexis smiled faintly, rubbing its back. He felt a surge of sorrow and anger feeling the bones of its back beneath his own thin hand. Someone had been very cruel to this poor dog. The dog made a sound close to sobbing, cuddling close to teenager sitting beside it.

"It's all right," Alexis said softly, soothingly. Why did this all seem so familiar? Alexis though back as far as he could remember. Did they a dog? No, no, his parents had lived in a flat when he was born there was no way they could've had a dog and Cassie had _always_ lived in a flat so there was no way she could've had a dog, besides she'd had Salazar for ages and he barely liked people let alone other animals.

The dog shifted a little closer, laying its heavy head on Alexis's lap. Alexis sat there for the longest time on the cold forest floor with dog's head on his lap, stroking its soft fur in an attempt to reassure it. The dog was heavy but the weight was not unpleasant, if anything it was comforting. "I'm Alexis," he said suddenly, feeling incredibly stupid the second the words left his mouth. Thank the Gods there was no one else around.

The dog merely barked sadly, nuzzling Alexis's hand with its wet nose. Alexis smiled slightly, scratching behind the dog's ears. Strangely enough, though it was quite obvious the dog had been abused, it didn't seem at all afraid of people. Alexis wasn't sure how long he sat there with the dog's head on his lap but soon the voices Oliver Wood, the rest of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, and what sounded like a dozen Chaser hopefuls broke through the stillness of the morning. The dog's ears perked at the sound and it leapt to its feet a second later, dashing silently through the woods and disappearing from sight.

Alexis remained sitting on the ground and staring off into the thicket of trees through which the dog had vanished. What in the hell was that all about? Finally, Alexis scrambled quickly to his feet and snatched up his broom, running at top speed towards the pitch. A dark shape slowly emerged from the trees once more, settling a safe enough distance away to watch the tryouts. If dogs could smile, Sirius Black certainly would have as he watched his son take his place among the Quidditch team hopefuls.

* * *

An hour after tryouts ended and the Chaser candidates had returned to the castle to get some much needed breakfast and rest, Oliver Wood and his team sat down on one the lower benches of the stands to pick their new teammate. The first two, a second year named Michael Maness and a sixth year named Moira Lynch were easiest to eliminate. Michael had only managed to hover a few meters in the air before losing his head completely and crashing into the nearest goalpost. The only time Moira scored a single goal was when she accidentally threw the Quaffle into the opposing team's goalpost. The rest were eliminated based on the number of goals they scored and how well they flew.

Finally, they were able to narrow it down to two candidates, a seventh year named Keith O'Dea and Alexis Black. And that was when the debate started. Keith was a scored twelve goals but was a choppy flier and nearly crashed into Angelina Johnson twice. Alexis had easily out flown the competition and scored fifteen goals but he was Sirius Black's son. Usually, Oliver Wood didn't let outside issues affect his decisions about his team but when Alicia and Angelina refused to let this particular issue die, he had no choice but to hear them out.

"His whole family is full of dark wizards! What if we get up in the air and he tries to hex us!" Alicia burst out, looking mildly hysterical. Angelina nodded in agreement. Fred and George meanwhile were doing a very poor job of muffling their laughter. "He's weird anyway, I mean he doesn't have any friends and he's always by himself. I think he's up to something," Angelina added. Harry snorted with laughter, causing the girls to glare at him.

"Oh come on, I mean, yeah, he's Sirius Black's son but I've never seen him do any dark magic or anything," Harry pointed out reasonably. "Exactly, he's a nice bloke--" Fred said clapping Harry on the shoulder. "Even if he is a bit weird," George finished, clapping Harry on his other shoulder. Oliver nodded in agreement, careful not to looking to the burning eyes of the girls across from him for fear being struck dead. Although he didn't know Alexis well and doubted that anyone did but as far as he knew the younger boy had never harmed anyone.

Not to mention he was by far the best candidate. But he couldn't exactly have two of his best players fighting with him all the time because of an appointment. Still, he had to do what was best for the team. "He was the best of the group," Oliver said finally. "That means he's on the team, however," he added hastily as Angelina and Alicia readied for attack.

"If he does anything that even remotely resembles dark magic, he's off the team." After several minutes of pleading from Oliver and threats of never being left alone by Fred and George, Angelina and Alicia reluctantly agreed to the appointment. Although he didn't agree with what the girls had said and thought the conditions of Alexis's appointment were a bit unfair and more than a little stupid, Harry was glad his fellow third year would be on the team. After Oliver told them the date of their first practice, Harry hurried off to the common room to give Alexis the good news.

* * *

"I've told you three times mum, I asked if she going out of town and she said she was going home," Tonks said for what seemed like the hundredth time since she arrived at her parents' house for their usual Sunday dinner. Andromeda Tonks sat back in her chair and stared pensively into the fire. _I'm going home._ What on earth did that mean? "Was she born somewhere else? Maybe that was what she meant." Tonks offered her clearly worried mother.

Andromeda shook her head. No, Cassie had been born in Britain; Andromeda remembered when she was born. And she hadn't left London in years. She loved the city, it was her home. Home, that was the bit Andromeda couldn't wrap her head around.

In all the years she had known her younger cousin, Andromeda had only ever heard Cassie call three places home: Hogwarts, Sirius's flat and her own flat in Soho. As Cassie was the one who packed up and sold Sirius's flat that was out of the question. And since she had lived in the same place for fourteen years that left Hogwarts but given her falling out with Albus Dumbledore there was no way she would ever go there. Was she going to visit a friend, had Nymphadora misunderstood her? No, the only friend Cassie had left was Remus Lupin and he was teaching at Hogwarts.

_Why are you so worried about her?_ A voice argued. _Cassie is an adult; she has been living on her own since she was sixteen. She is more than capable of taking care of herself. _And yet, Andromeda was worried. Cassie was her family, pretty much the only family she had left and Andromeda was terrified of losing her anymore than she already had.

* * *

When Remus returned from dinner in the Great Hall, he decided to get some papers graded as he still had an entire stack of seventh year essays about manicore's to grade. Not to mention he still a handful of second year papers to finish looking over. The work of a teacher was never done. And Remus loved it. He had never loved a job as much as he loved teaching in spite of the sometimes painful memories Hogwarts reawaken in him.

There was small piece of parchment sitting atop his seventh year essays. Was it a note from another professor perhaps? Remus picked up the parchment and unfolded it. He smiled widely and burst out laughing. Written on the parchment in the familiar handwriting of his son were four words:

_**I made the team.**_


	14. Chapter 13: Footprints in the Dust

Chapter Thirteen: Foot Prints in the Dust 

It was sprinkling lightly the morning Cassie left her flat and got onto the Underground. By the time she got off at the station nearest Grimmuald Place, it was pouring as if a giant was standing somewhere overhead and dumping bucket after bucket of icy water onto the city. Still, Cassie didn't quicken her pace. It was delaying the inevitable she supposed but it was all she could do to force herself to keep going. She hadn't been to this place since she was sixteen years old but she still found her way there as if it was only yesterday.

As Cassie had brought no umbrella and didn't bother to pull her trench coat up over her head, she was soaked to skin by the time she reached her destination. Cassie should have been cold but found that she didn't feel it though she was shaking from head to foot. In truth, she wasn't feeling anything as she stared up the houses before her. She reached out and wrapped her hand around the Black family necklace that hung from her neck and pulled hard. It only took one pull for the ribbon snap.

The silver clasp cut the side of neck, sending a warm trickle of blood running down her throat and still she didn't feel it. Cassie raised her right arm into the air, pendant in hand and pointed it towards numbers eleven and thirteen. She smiled faintly, thinking how the passers by must think she was mad. A second later, Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place squeezed itself slowly between numbers eleven and thirteen. And for several moments, Cassie simply stood there in the ice cold rain and stared up at her childhood home. Her prison.

So the Gods hadn't struck it down the way she'd often hoped they would when nightmares of this dreaded place came to her in the dark of night. The once grand house was shabby and faded. The prim hedges were overgrown and ill cared for and the bricks had turned purple with age. Tentatively, as if approaching an open coffin at a funeral, Cassie walked up the steps to the front door. There was no keyhole or letter box and the serpent shaped door handle was rusted.

With a shaking hand, Cassie withdrew the tiny silver key from her pocket. Hopefully this would still work with the doorknob being so rusted out. As carefully as she could, Cassie pressed the key into the serpent's mouth and prayed. A few moments later, a loud clanking rattle could be heard as heavy locks and bolts, and a thick chain came undone. Smiling faintly, Cassie pushed the heavy door open and stepped back into the darkness.

The air inside was stale and heavy with dust. It was difficult to breath and Cassie coughed hard several times before her lungs readjusted. The house, once so filled with life was still and silent as a tomb. And yet it was exactly the same as it had been the day she left fourteen years ago. There was a thick layer of undisturbed dust on the now faded emerald carpet.

No one had been here since Walburga's death eight years ago. Suddenly feeling as if her soaking coat was made of lead, Cassie shrugged it off and hung it on the newel post of the banister. Pulling out her wand, Cassie performed a quick heating charm on herself. Completely warm and dry, Cassie stepped out of the foyer and into the house all the while taking great pains not to look at the staircase. The walking stick was a good enough reminder of what had occurred there all those years ago.

It was like stepping back in time, moving through those once grand rooms that were so different yet completely and utterly same. Everything was old and faded, fallen into disuse and covered in a thick layer of dust. Untouched and forgotten. Still, it was exactly they way it had been the day she left. The day she vowed never to return there and yet there she stood fourteen years later.

How strange and unpredictable life could be. She paused in the drawing room. There was the sagging armchair where Uncle Alphard used to read them The Tales of Beedle The Bard when Orion and Walburga weren't home. The hated family tree was intact but faded with age, the edges worn over the years by doxie bites. With a barely noticed shaking hand, Cassie carefully whipped the thick layer of dust away from the bottom of the tree as if handling the most priceless of artifacts.

The gold thread of the remaining names still shined brightly in the dim. Her name was gone, just like Sirius's, Annie's and Alphard's. Regulus's still shone brightly. The last of the three on the tapestry and the first to be lost. Cassie ran her fingers oh so carefully over his name, remembering how proud he was of that damn thing. _**The skinny seven year old lifted her, an even smaller five year old into his arms to see the very top. **_

"_**See Sister, that's the family motto, Toujours Pur," he'd told her proudly. "What does that mean?" she had asked, wondering why there were so many tiny burns on the tapestry her mother was so proud of. "It's French," Regulus announced with elderly brother pride, "It means always pure."**_ Oh how young they had been, how naïve. How many hours had she spent in this room with Regulus?

How many hours did he spend explaining every single thing in the glass fronted cabinet? Cassie smiled faintly at the memory of Regulus explaining everything to her sounding oh so proud as he mispronounced names and confused dates. Gods how she missed him! Her perpetually unhappy but eternally sweet older brother. Cassie stepped away from the family tree and into the center of the room, taking in everything around her.

And soon, like every other time she'd been in this room, the few good memories were overwhelmed by the bad. _**Hiding from Orion beneath the elegant end table when she was six and Sirius was nine, her heart pounding fearfully as his heavy boots drew closer and closer. Holding Sirius's shaking hand in hers, wanting so badly to protect him and not knowing how. A sixteen-year-old Sirius falling hard onto the marble hearth, bloody and bruised, his grey eyes filled with unshed tears that he refused to let fall. Seizing hold of her father's massive hand as he raised it for a second blow only to be tossed back into the glass fronted cabinet. **_

_**Glass shattering beneath her slight weight, slicing into her shoulder before she crashed to the floor as the shards rained down though she never felt it until everything was said and done and Sirius had left for good.**_ As Cassie's emotions at last returned, the sorrow and anger filled her. Her heart was pounding painfully in her chest but still she remained calm and prayed for strength. Turning her back on the cabinet before she gave into the urge to smash the glass to pieces, Cassie left the room. She didn't descend the steps into the kitchen; she couldn't bring herself to walk down those steps even after all these years.

Looking at the door brought back painful memories of delicious family meals, plates loaded with meticulously prepared food. Sirius beside her with an empty plate not allowed to eat because of some petty crime but forced to watch them. Later as he laid on her bed, biting his lip to keep from vocalizing his terrible hunger pains as she ran her fingers through his hair as she tried so desperately to sooth him. He never once cried or begged. Her stomach churned just thinking about it.

At last she ascended the beautiful spiral staircase, trying so desperately not to look down and gripping the banister like a lifeline. It was such a long way down. The air quality was worse up here, the dust heavy and thick in the stale air. All the guest room doors were open revealing grand rooms on the verge of decay. Cassie climbed higher, finding harder and harder to breath but knowing it had nothing to do with the poor air quality until at last she reached the topmost landing where their rooms had been.

She left Regulus's door shut, going inside felt like she would be desecrating an ancient burial ground. Cassie paused momentarily in front of the door, smiling faintly as she touched the small, pompous sign tapped to his door. He'd made it when he was ten around the time Sirius developed an annoying habit of flying into hers and Regulus's bedrooms uninvited. Sirius had to lift Regulus up so he could hang it on the door and never obeyed it. Her burst of laughter echoed through the empty house as if she had shouted.

Her room too was left unopened. There was no point in going in there now. She said her last goodbye in there long ago and that raw wound did not need to be reopened. Sirius's door still bore his hated and now tarnished nameplate. How many times had he tried to pry it from the door and only managed to nick and scratch the wood around it?

Stepping into his room was like stepping into a time wrap. She hadn't been in here in sixteen years and seeing it still intact, as if waiting for its occupants return was almost too much. The Gryffindor banners and flags still hung faded but proud upon the walls as the Muggle girls in bikinis smiled placidly down at her. Cassie laughed and shook her head. Oh the timeless joy of pissing off one's parents!

She sat down gingerly on the edge of his bed, coughing at the cloud of dust that rose up in her wake. For one wild moment she half expected him to come bursting into his room, some new Muggle record in hand or a new poster to hang. Cassie waited but Sirius never came, would never come again. For the first time in twelve years, Cassie felt a sudden urge to cry. She hadn't cried since Sirius had been taken so cruelly.

Oh Gods how she cried! And she had never cried again. She simply didn't have the strength for it anymore. Cassie had spent a good chuck of her life crying for a long line of people she had lost and didn't have any tears left. Still, she wanted to cry for Caprica but she simply couldn't.

Cassie sat there until the sun began to sink below the horizon as the room began to fill with the gathering darkness. Slowly, her knee crying out in protest, she got to her feet. Sirius wasn't here. He had never been here. It was easier to descend the stairs than it was to ascend them and soon she was back in the foyer.

Cassie pulled on her still faintly wet coat without bothering to dry it. It was time to go and she knew in her heart of hearts that she would never be foolish enough to think she would never come again. Only fools believe they knew better than fate. With one final, appraising, sad look at her childhood home, Cassie opened the front door.

And with that she stepped out into the gathering darkness, leaving behind only footprints in the dust.


	15. Chapter 14: Samhain

Chapter Fourteen: Samhain 

Alexis awoke early on the morning of his fourteenth birthday to the sound of Ron yelling loudly and a cat hissing and spitting. Sighing heavily, Alexis pulled his pillow up over his head in an attempt to drown out the noise of his dorm mates. _Happy Birthday to me,_ he thought tiredly. Alexis laid there with the pillow on over his head until muffled footsteps could be heard heading down to the common room. Realizing he was never going to get back to sleep, Alexis moved his pillow aside and sat up, smiling faintly at the small pile of gifts at the foot of his bed.

He opened Tonks's brightly wrapped present first and found a small model of a Chinese Fireball that breathed fake fire and a new set of colored pencils. Alexis hadn't seen her in two years. Tonks's mother Andromeda had never sent him anything.

Cassie had given him a massive book on French Impressionism, a new deck of Tarot cards and several new sketchpads and pencils. Alexis smiled as he examined his new deck. Tarot cards on Samhain, you had to love Cassie's sense of humor. Even if it was a bit strange some. . .well all the time.

His dad was going to give his present later when they met for tea. Since it was Halloween and the first Hogsmeade visit of the year, there was less chance of anyone bothering them. While gathering up the wrapping paper, Alexis found a small gift that he hadn't noticed before. The package was lumpy and poorly wrapped in plain brown paper. There was no card or tag.

Puzzled, Alexis picked up the gift and opened it cautiously. Was it a cursed gift from a classmate? But rather than exploding into swarms of bats or shooting out various hexes as Alexis expected it too, a soft bundle tumbled from the paper onto the bedspread. Picking up the lumpy bolt of cloth, Alexis unfolded it and was surprised to find a black long sleeve shirt bearing the green and gold emblem of the Irish National Quidditch team. The shirt was three sizes too big as if whoever had bought it had simply guessed the size.

But who the hell was it from? He didn't have any friends and his family would have known what size shirt he wore. Unless. . .but no, there was no way. Was there? True, it wasn't as if his father could simply walk into a shop and buy the shirt but he could have ordered by mail.

Alexis climbed out of bed and walked over to the window, holding the shirt firmly against his heart. It was from his father, it had to be. And that meant he was nearby, that he seen something Alexis had that showed his preference for the team. Alexis felt his heartbeat quicken in a mixture of worry and happiness. His father was out there somewhere.

Smiling wider than he had since he had returned to school, Alexis took a quick shower and changed into his first present from his father in thirteen years. The hem of the shirt hung down to his thighs and he had to roll the sleeves up several times to be able to use his hands but Alexis loved it none the less. Alexis glanced at his bedside clock. Good, everyone was still at breakfast. He'd have more than enough time to set up.

Although he wouldn't be using the altar until everyone went to bed, Alexis would be setting it up now rather than later because it was difficult to get everything set up with a dorm fully of rather noisy roommates. Alexis knelt on the floor beside his bed and pulled his spell box from beneath his bed where he kept it to keep people from bothering it. Not that anyone would as most people worried he would put some kind of satanic hex on them if they did. Oh the joys of being a Wiccan. Still, he was proud of his faith and was not afraid of saying so.

After removing everything he needed from the box which contained all his witch supplies except for his athame which he left at home for fear of having it taken away by a teacher, Alexis moved to sit before his truck, which severed as his altar when he was at school. He covered it with the orange altar cloth he had dyed himself when he was ten and proceeded to set up the Samhain altar. In the center of the altar was a silver pentacle with two small porcelain statues of the God and Goddess on either side of it. The four small silver bowls embossed with runes for earth, air, fire, and water came next. The water bowl held spring water, the earth bowl held kosher salt and the fire bowl held a stick of incense.

Next, Alexis had placed two black taper candles on either side of the back of the altar with a white taper between them. He then added a plastic skull, rune stones, and the new Tarot cards. His aunt usually placed pictures of departed loved ones on her massive altar at home, a picture of Uncle Regulus, friends of hers that had passed and even one of Lily and James Potter in golden frames. His father never did anything like that, probably because it was too painful for him. Alexis wondered if his dad was going to set up an altar, probably not as he very private about his beliefs.

"He's in the proverbial closet," Cassie liked to say. "In more ways than one." At which point his dad usually lobbed a couch pillow at her head and caused them both to burst out laughing. Smiling, Alexis climbed to his feet and pulled on his small messenger bag before heading down to breakfast. After a quick breakfast rather than going to see his fellow classmates off to Hogsmeade, Alexis left the Great Hall and headed straight for his dad's office.

* * *

Samhain. Halloween. A holiday Remus hated and loved in equal measure. For him, October 31 was divided into two very different holidays that belong to very different sets of people. Halloween belonged to Lily and James.

Lily who had taught them about dressing up in costumes and going to parties with your friends. James who showed them the joys of trick or treating and mischief night which he claimed had been created just for the four of them. Remus could still remember Harry's first Halloween. He remembered the hideously orange pumpkin costume that Sirius lamented that made his godson look like a great ugly beach ball. When Lily put Harry into the costume complete with a green hat that looked like a stem, James and Peter laughed until they cried while the baby giggled obliviously.

Cassie had dressed Alexis like a wizard. Or at least what Muggles thought a wizard looked like. In truth, in his purple robe covered with silver stars and matching pointed hat, Remus thought he looked a bit like Professor Dumbledore. Alexis even had a small plastic wand which he took great pleasure in waving around and giggling madly. _**"At last Cass has good taste!" Sirius had mock complained to James, "your wife is making your son look like some kind of mutant orange!" **_

Remus could remember sitting beside Sirius on the couch, struggling and failing to hold in his own laughter while Cassie, in a rare moment of typical girlishness had declared Harry looked adorable. Lily had pointedly ignored the men's laughter, saying the cuter you were the more candy you get. Apparently the residents of Godric's Hollow agreed with Cassie and Lily because practically every house they went to raved about what a cute pumpkin Harry was and what a sweet little wizard Alexis was before filling their bags with loads of sweets. Both children were asleep before they reached the tenth house. A year later, Lily, James, and Peter were dead, Harry was sent to live with Lily's hated relatives and Sirius was in prison.

Samhain was shared between Sirius, Cassie and Alexis. He remembered Sirius and Cassie's surprising observance, their unease about the Muggle pageantry of the holiday. Cassie had been distinctly uncomfortable about the whole affair and Sirius's hesitancy about it all. He remembered the frantic Patronus he'd received from Sirius the night Alexis was born: _Something's wrong, come quick._ He had been surprised; Sirius and his ex-girlfriend, Irish witch Emma Riordan had decided to give up the baby for adoption when it was born. Well, not so much decided as Sirius had begged her not to get rid of it. Emma had been twenty and as beautiful as she was cold hearted and calculating which meant she was stunning.

Emma and Sirius met in a bar. They were together about three and a half months, which was a record for Sirius. She cheated on him with anything that had a pulse and treated him like dirt when they were together. It made Remus sick because he knew Sirius didn't think he deserved any better. Emma and Sirius been broken up about two weeks when he and Remus got together.

They had been together a week when she told Sirius she was pregnant with his child and planning to get rid of it. _**"Give it to people who can love it, give it what we can't just please don't kill it!" Sirius had pleaded with her.**_ Sirius Black had never begged for anything in his life. And so Remus had flooed to St. Mungo's and raced to the Maternity Ward. The second he saw Sirius's face he knew something terrible had happened.

Emma was fine and resting comfortably but the baby, a little boy, was another story. The baby was beautiful but oh so small. At ten weeks premature how could he not be small? His nails were not even fully developed yet. Remus had never seen a baby so small, so fragile.

The Healers didn't think he would last the night. Sirius held him into the early morning hours, rocking the baby in his arms and telling him how much he loved him. Remus realized then, before Sirius ever said a word that he was never going to give up that child. He had already fallen in love with him. Emma never even wanted to see the baby; she left two days after he was born.

Alexis spent another two weeks in the hospital, hovering somewhere between life and death. Sirius never left his side and Remus never left Sirius's side though he was terrified that the baby would mean the end of their relationship. Who would want a monster around their child? _**"I want you to be in my son's life, we could raise him together," Sirius said, gripping Remus's hand so tight in his that Remus's fingers actually started to hurt.**_ Remus never thought he would be able to have a child; the thought of passing his curse onto an innocent child was too much to bear.

Besides, who want a monster to father their child? And then, after Remus realized his feelings for Sirius he had given up hope of ever having a family. Not that it had ever stopped hurting. So when Sirius offered Remus the chance to have a family, a child, he had taken it even though every instinct he'd had been telling him otherwise, that it was too good to be true but he had fallen in love with Alexis the moment Sirius had placed the baby in his arms and that was all that mattered.

So in many ways, Samhain belonged wholly to Alexis because it was the day he had come into Remus's life. Remus never thought he could love someone as much as he loved Alexis. He made Remus understand why Lily had done what she did on this night so very long ago because he would do the same for Alexis. For all of the pain that came along with the final day of October, the joy was just as great. It was both the best and worst day of Remus's life.

He had just finished setting up the newly arrived Grindylow tank when Alexis arrived. Although Remus had wanted Alexis to go to Hogsmeade with his classmates, a part of him was glad that he had stayed behind given how cruel his classmates could be to him. "Cool, is that for our next lesson?" Alexis asked, rushing over to the newest addition to Remus's office. The water demon snapped its jaws at the fascinated teenager while Remus smiled. Remus liked to think there was something of himself in Alexis though they were not related by blood, that maybe his curiosity and love of learning had somehow come from him.

"Yes, I take it you approve?" Remus replied with a smile. Alexis nodded, laying his hand on the glass. His hand was only a bit bigger than that of the water demon's webbed one but easily as thin. "Let's hope you're classmates are as enthusiastic," Remus said with a trace of amusement. Even if he hadn't raised him, loved him, Remus was sure Alexis would have been his favorite student.

Remus had always known he was smart but he never realized just how smart Alexis was until he started teaching him. Alexis smiled at Remus over his shoulder and waved his free hand dismissively. "Come off it dad, everyone loves your class. You're the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher we've ever had," Alexis said happily. Remus felt himself filled with a fierce love for the teenager before him and was suddenly very aware of how easily he could've lost Alexis on this day and never known this love. "Happy Birthday Alexis," Remus said, stepping forward and folding his son into his arms.

Alexis hugged him back just as tight, laying his head briefly against his dad's chest like he used to do when he was a small child. Slowly, the pair drew apart and made their way towards Remus's desk which was overflowing albeit very neatly with paperwork. Only his dad could be orderly even when disorganized. "Here, Happy Birthday," Remus said as he pulled a large, neatly wrapped package from beneath his desk. Alexis opened the rather heavy package and found a beautiful wood box.

Carefully flicking open the small brass catch, Alexis opened the box and gasped in surprise. "Oh dad," he whispered. Inside were some of the best art supplies he had ever seen. Oil paints, pastels, colored pencils, water colors in basically every color a person could want and some of the most beautiful brushes he'd ever laid eyes on. It must've cost him a fortune. "It's too much dad, you shouldn't have," Alexis said, looking up at his father who merely smiled. "Now that we have a little extra money I wanted to get you something special," he said happily, "Happy Birthday, Alexis."

"Thanks dad, I love it," Alexis said, standing up and leaning across the desk to hug his father. They broke apart a second later at the sound of footsteps in the corridor. Remus shot Alexis a look warning him to keep quiet and act natural as he got to his feet and went to look out into the hall. "Harry?" Remus said in surprise. "What are you doing here? Where are Ron and Hermione?"

Alexis didn't hear Harry's response but he could guess. The Muggles probably hadn't given him permission to go to Hogsmeade. Alexis felt a stab of annoyance and anger at the people he had never even set eyes on. Remus glanced back slightly at Alexis who nodded and shrunk his present so that he could tuck away into his bag. He didn't want Harry to be alone, not today.

"Well, I was just showing Alexis my Grindylow; would you like to see it?" Remus asked conversationally. "A what?" came Harry's puzzled voice as he followed Remus into his office albeit uncomfortably to examine the water demon with the same interest as Alexis. "Hi Alexis," Harry said after reluctantly accepting Remus's offer for tea and taking the seat beside his fellow Gryffindor. "Having a nice birthday?" Alexis nodded, casting a small smile over at his father as he prepared the tea bags.

"All I have is tea bags, though I daresay you've had enough tea leaves," Remus said easily though his kind amber eyes shined in such away that Alexis knew his aunt wasn't kidding when she said Remus was a Marauder through and through. "You know about that?" Harry said in a mixture of surprise and embarrassment. "Professor McGonagall mentioned it in passing," Remus said. This was a lie as it had been Alexis who had relayed the story to him. "Don't worry about it Harry, according to the all knowing Professor Trelawney I'll meet disaster before my thirteenth year," Alexis said with a grin.

"And given that today is my fourteenth birthday I think her inner eye needs checking." Harry burst out laughing and the two spent the next few minutes discussing their increasingly ridiculous class while Remus added that while he would never speak ill of a fellow colleague, if he did he would say he thought Divination was an utterly useless subject. Feeling thoroughly less depressed, even cheerful, Harry eagerly agreed. The three had rather enjoyable conversation ranging from lessons to Quidditch when they were interrupted by a soft knock on the door. "Enter," Remus called pleasantly.

* * *

Severus barely suppressed rolling his eyes at the sound of Lupin's voice as he entered what should have been his office. The sight he came upon was as familiar as it was nauseating. Lupin, Potter, and Black together again. He could see the shock on Potter's face and shot the boy a sneer though he couldn't deny he was actually a bit glad the brat hadn't received permission to visit Hogsmeade. Why Alexander was still at the castle, however, was rather confusing.

Cassie had given him permission to go, he knew she had as Severus had seen the form on Minerva's desk when he went to drop off some N.E.W.T. level work that been mistakenly delivered to him. He knew that elegantly curving handwriting anywhere. It had changed little since they first met. While Potter regarded him suspiciously as he gave the werewolf his potion, Alexander smiled pleasantly looking so much like Black it was positively stomach churning. Although if Severus is honest with himself he can see something of Regulus in the boy's features as well but that would mean acknowledging the similarities between his friend and Black which something Severus simply refused to do.

Dumbledore warned him that Sirius Black and James Potter's sons would be coming to Hogwarts but nothing could have prepared Severus for the sight of them. It was like looking into a mirror to the past. In many ways, seeing Alexander was more painful than Potter who also the image of his father. Seeing Potter was painful but with Alexander there was a special kind of agony. A part of him had prayed Cassie wouldn't send him to Hogwarts given the volatile falling out she'd had with the Order of the Phoenix when Black was arrested but apparently her hatred didn't run that deep.

And now the three of them were together again. Black, Potter, and Lupin. _The Marauders reborn,_ Severus thought bitterly. It was bad enough being forced to deal with Potter and enduring the special kind of agony that was Alexander, now he had to teach along side the mongrel that almost killed him. The mongrel that almost killed _her_.

The mongrel she loved. With a final word to the dark creature in question, Severus swept from the office and closed the door with a snap. Fate could be extraordinarily cruel sometimes.

* * *

"What I mean is," Harry said meaningfully, watching worriedly as Remus sipped the Wolfsbane Snape had just brought him. "Snape would anything to get the Defense Against the Dark Arts position." Alexis barely bit back a laugh and rolled his eyes. "He's implying that Snape is trying to kill you," Alexis put in with an air of helpfulness that made Harry shot a semi-grateful glare his way. Remus fought back a laugh and smiled reassuringly at Harry.

"Professor Dumbledore and Madam Pomfrey know he is brewing this for me and now so do the two of you. Too many witnesses," Remus said with a wink. Harry relaxed in his chair and laughed though Alexis could still see the worry on his face. Remus glanced down at his watch. "The feast should be starting soon so you two should probably get going," he said. Harry got to his feet, "Thanks for the tea and the company Professor. Do you want to walk back to the Common Room Alexis?" he asked.

"I'll be along in a minute, I wanted to ask Professor Lupin about my Red Cap essay," Alexis said easily. Harry rolled his eyes and shook his head wearily. "You and Hermione need to just accept that you're brilliant and move on with your lives. See you later Alexis," Harry said with a grin, waving at Alexis over his shoulder. "He seems to like you," Remus said when Harry shut the door behind him. "Only because he doesn't know," Alexis said wearily.

"If he did, he'd hate me just like the rest of them. Probably more." Remus regarded Alexis sadly but didn't say anything. Alexis smiled, standing up and walking around the desk to hug his father. "Thanks so much for the wonderful gift dad," he said. Remus smiled and hugged his son back.

"I'll come see you before the full moon," Alexis said as they drew apart. "Alexis--" "I want to be there, you know I do. How many times have we had this conversation?" he said in mock weariness. Remus smiled faintly and nodded. Alexis was as hard headed as his father had been.

"Fair enough, I'll see you then," Remus said wearily though deep down he was glad Alexis was going to be there. There was no denying the comfort the teenager brought him. The two hugged once more, lingering a little longer this time. "Happy Birthday Alexis," Remus said when they drew apart. "Happy Halloween dad," Alexis said softly, almost apologetically before he left the office.

* * *

The Halloween feast was as delicious as usual but the pageantry of it all still bothered Alexis. It always had and it probably always would. Somehow it seemed so wrong for today to seem so celebratory. It wasn't the religious aspect or rather the lack there of that bothered him so much, that was something he had grown used to, no, it was because of what happened on this night thirteen years ago. Earlier that day his parents and aunt had celebrated his second birthday.

Lily and James were dead by ten that evening. Peter Pettigrew and thirteen innocent people were dead just after midnight. His father was arrested just after two o'clock. People shouldn't be celebrating today. They should be mourning.

Alexis knew his aunt hated today. She never said it but he knew. Cassie mourned the losses. She mourned his father when no else did. He wondered what his father was doing right now. Was he thinking about the same things Alexis was?

Did he miss the three of them as much as they missed him? Alexis didn't even realize the feast was over until everyone stood up. Still lost in his thoughts Alexis followed his fellow Gryffindors up to the tower without realizing the crowd had come to a sudden stop, murmuring worriedly. Alexis forced his way to the front just as Percy yelled for someone to get Dumbledore. Staring down at the wood and bits of canvas littering the floor, Alexis knew what had happened long before a mocking poltergeist told the headmaster.

The ghosts of Samhain had returned.


	16. Chapter 15: The Feast of All Souls

Chapter Fifteen: The Feast of All Souls 

Cassie pulled the collar of her trench coat up against the cool night air as she made her way down one of the many paths winding through Salazar Slytherin Cemetery, the oldest pureblood cemetery in London. The tombs here dated back hundreds of years and rumor had it that the Hogwarts fonder himself had been buried here but no one could prove it. Row upon row of massive tombs of marble and granite jutted from the barren landscape. Many of the older tombs were surrounded by iron fences, and even more graves were crumbling from the relentless exposure to weather and age. The Blacks had been buried here for centuries.

At last Cassie reached the regal white marble headstones of Orion and Walburga Black. They gleamed in the darkness like ships on the water. She didn't pause or even give them a second glance. Alphard didn't have a stone here. None of the blood traitors or Muggle lovers did.

Finally she came to a short stone made of black granite. Cassie smiled for the first time all night as she knelt before the stone. She reached out, momentarily startled at how pale her skin was compared to the stone and lightly fingering the words engraved upon it. "Hello darling," she said softly as she traced the words.

Regulus Arcturus Black

14 February 1961-20 April 1979

Beloved and Deeply Missed

"I miss you." She took a deep breath before going on. "But I guess you know that that given I tell you that every bloody time I visit and you're probably sick of hearing it," Cassie said with a faint smile. She could see Regulus as clearly as if he were sitting there with her. He always looked the way he did the last time she saw him alive: his raven hair was shaggy and in bad need of a cut, his skin was too pale and he was much too thin but his plain black robes were immaculate. He'd give her his weary half smile and shake his head, giving her that Cassie-you're-impossible look he had perfected over the years.

"I know this is usually the part where I launch into a run down of everything that's happened since we last saw each other but if it's all the same to you I'd rather skip that bit," she said. Her voice caught and it was harder for her to regain control this time. It took several deep breaths before she could speak normally. "It's been thirteen years Reg, thirteen years, and things haven't gotten any easier," Cassie said softly. She shifted slightly so that she was sitting against the tombstone more out the desire to touch some tangible part of her brother rather than the pain in her knee.

"If anything love, it's getting worse." For the longest time Cassie didn't say anything else, instead she leaned against the icy stone and stared out into the darkness, at the headstones reaching up as if pleading with the heavens. "I've spent the last thirteen years living in survival mode," Cassie said finally. It was so easy to imagine him reaching out to her, laying a hand on her shoulder. Gods she wished he could.

"I haven't been happy but I've been content, I could've carried on like that. It would have been hard but I could have done it." She tilted her head back and rested it against the cool stone. She hated living the way she did, living from day to day with pain that only become even more acute with each passing moment. But Cassie could have done it, she knows that she could have, living for Alexis and Remus was well worth it. "Then Sirius escaped and suddenly contentment just isn't enough anymore," Cassie said softly.

She could see the concern on his face, the worry in the grey eyes he shared with their older brother and the nephew he never got the chance to see but Regulus wouldn't interrupt, he would let her speak. "I want him back Reg, I want back what they took from me, what they took from Remus and Alexis." It was starting to get cold but still she didn't move. She needed to say this out loud.

"When you died Sirius and I promised we'd always be together and I intend to keep that promise. Whatever it takes." Cassie closed her eyes then, letting sleep come at last. Funny, this was the only place she could find rest. Maybe it some kind of sign. Maybe the only way she would ever have peace was in death.

The thought should have bothered her but it didn't. Regulus hated Samhain when he was alive. It scared him. Everything did really but Samhain always held one of the top spots. That's why she never came on Samhain.

It was well after midnight now. Another Samhain had come and gone with the grief and joy that threatened to tear her apart. Yes, Regulus hated Samhain and had it not for Alexis she might too. Maybe deep down a part of her does. And so there they sat the ghosts of both the living and dead on The Feast of All Souls waiting for morning to come once more.

* * *

"You let him into the castle!" Seamus Finnegan shouted, his face red with anger and fear. Several people in the small mob gathered behind Seamus nodded and shouted their agreement. None of them had dared to close around Alexis. At least not yet though their shouts had been getting louder and louder as the search for Sirius Black wore on. "And how in the hell did I do that sitting in the bloody Great Hall?" Alexis snapped.

He was anxious enough as it was and his patience was wearing very thin. Several people seemed to hesitate, whispering among themselves. "You could have opened the doors with magic!" Ron Weasley added though went quiet after the look Hermione gave him. "Right Ron I just opened the doors sealed with Dumbledore's protection with a few wand waves!" Alexis said sarcastically. Ron's face turned as red as hair before he slinked away to the back of the mob.

"Honestly, why would Alexis let a murderer into the castle?" Hermione pointed out in a voice practically pleading for everyone to be reasonable. "Besides, it says in _Hogwarts: A History_ that--" "Because Black is his father!" Ernie Macmillan cut in pompously. "Yeah, the dark wizard doesn't fall far from the tree!" Seamus added to several shouts of agreement. "Didn't you here the eldest weasel, lights out kiddies," said the drawling voice of Draco Malfoy just over Alexis's shoulder.

"It would be a shame for all of you to lose house points but I really feel we should always obey the rules." There were no Slytherins in the group and it was a safe bet Malfoy was eager for all the other houses to lose as many points as possible. After several nervous glances at Percy and even more death glares at Alexis, though some were probably meant for Malfoy, the murmuring mob made its way over to their sleeping bags. Alexis remained rooted to the spot, physically shaking with rage and sorrow. "They haven't found him," Malfoy said out of the corner of his mouth as he stalked passed Alexis.

"He got out." Alexis didn't say a word; he couldn't have if he wanted to. Instead, he simply stood there and stared after the Slytherin prince in open mouthed confusion and utter gratitude. "Thank you," he said in the merest of whispers. Malfoy never looked back. Still staring after Malfoy, Alexis settled into the squishy purple sleeping bag that had been provided by Dumbledore.

Alexis's thoughts were rushing faster than he could keep track of them. His father was safe. He had gotten out of the castle. Why the hell had he been in the castle anyway? Why in the tower of all places on Samhain of all nights?

Those didn't seem like the actions of a murderer to him, not in the slightest. Rather they seemed like the actions of someone who didn't want anyway to get hurt while they did whatever it was they needed to do. Did that sound like a mass murderer? Alexis didn't think so. "The lights are going out now!" Percy shouted, derailing Alexis's train of thought.

"I want everyone in their sleeping bags and no more talking!" _He'll make some poor country a lovely dictator someday,_ Alexis thought bitterly as all the candles went out at once. Sighing heavily, Alexis lay on his back and stared up at the star filled enchanted ceiling. It was beautiful really; he had never seen it like this before. The whispering around him was nothing but white noise. He had eyes only for the heavens above.

Alexis reached up and wrapped his thin fingers around the pentacle that hung around his neck. He could see them all see clearly, the ones who had come before him. But mostly he could see his father, the man he loved so much yet barely knew. Just before he drifted off to sleep, Alexis said a silent prayer to the God and Goddess above.

_Light of Spirit,_

_May souls in conflict rise in peace with you,_

_May all those lost find their way home to you,_

_And may your blessing be upon us all_

_Fare thee well._

_Blessed Be._

Alexis's last thought before he drifted off was his father, hoping and praying that he was safe.


	17. Chapter 16: True Colors

Chapter Sixteen: True Colors 

For several days after, the school talked of nothing but Sirius Black. The theories about how he had entered the castle became wilder and wilder though nearly all of them somehow involved Alexis. The funniest of which involved Alexis transfiguring his father into a flowering shrub. He considered talking to shrubs but decided against it when he realized it would probably be his one way ticket to a nice padded room in St. Mungo's. Although given the turn his life at school had taken that might not be so bad.

Alexis was spending so much time in the hospital wing that he was considering moving in. Still with the increase in harassment and hatred there also came an increase in fear. After the attempted break in of Gryffindor tower, the change that came over the students was startling. Students who once whispered and stared at Alexis now avoided him completely. People in the corridors parted like the Red Sea when they saw him coming.

Even the Slytherins seemed terrified of him now. It didn't take Alexis long to figure out why everyone was suddenly so terrified of him. They were no doubt terrified that his father was going to show up and kill them all. As annoying as it was, Alexis had to admit that it was pretty funny to watch a hallway full of seventh year Slytherins part whenever he walked down the corridor. But when the novelty of that wore off it became just plain annoying.

Coupled with Quidditch practice with a group of people that seemed to waiting for him to turn on them, lessons, homework, worry for his father who was enduring his first transformation at Hogwarts and fear for his father, Alexis felt like tearing his hair out. Even the teachers were watching him a little more closely than usual. Well, except Snape who seemed perfectly content to ignore Alexis for the rest of their days together which was perfectly fine with him. Alexis had seen his dad just briefly before his transformation, his face already overly pale and pained; the stress of Halloween had taken a terrible toll on him. Although his father swore up and down that he was going to perfectly fine, Alexis could see the pain and tension in his movements.

He wanted so badly to have been able to stay with him but Alexis knew that was impossible. Still, he had promised, despite his dad's protests, to come see him the second the moon waned. The added stress was doing little to help with the nightmares which had returned with a vengeance after eight long years. Yet somehow Alexis managed, whether it was out of sheer dumb luck or the sheer grace of the Gods he wasn't sure but somehow he managed. But he just wasn't sure how long he could keep it up.

* * *

After the eighth consecutive time Alexis had nearly been ambushed in the hall, he decided the best course of action was to avoid the general population whenever possible. Thankfully, having Cassie Black as your aunt and Remus Lupin as your father provided one with a rather extensive knowledge of the school's secret passage ways. This usually meant he was the first to arrive at lessons and he always tried to be the last one to leave. And so far, as he hadn't been hexed in a week this strategy was working well. Although Harry swore if Alexis suddenly appeared as if out of nowhere beside him one more time he was going to murder him.

With some careful maneuvering, not to mention five minutes of hiding behind a suit of armor, Alexis managed to arrive at D.A.D.A twenty minutes before the start of class on Friday. Thankfully, he was the first one to class which was how he preferred it. Plus, he was anxious to see who would be subbing for his dad. Alexis pushed open the door and found Severus Snape sitting behind his dad's desk, sneering as he read over his colleagues notes. He looked up with a start when Alexis entered and frowned at the sight of him.

"Lunch isn't over for another twenty minutes," he said simply. "Have you ever tried to eat with over a hundred people staring at you and whispering?" Alexis said as he removed his textbook, parchment, ink, and quills from his messenger bag. He let his battered school bag fall to the floor. "It doesn't make for the most desirable dining atmosphere," Alexis said as he sat down at a desk in the back of the class. It was easier to avoid being jinxed from behind when there was no one behind you.

For several moments Snape simply stared at him, looking for a moment as if he wanted to say something but in the end he simply glanced back down at Remus's notes. Alexis too turned his attention elsewhere, doing a sketch of the classroom until his fellow students slowly began to file in, all of whom looked thoroughly shocked to see Snape sitting at Remus's desk. Hermione shot Alexis a puzzled look and he shrugged, ignoring the glare Ron Weasley shot him. Harry was no where to be seen. Neville looked pale as Snape surveyed the class with a look of disdain.

Harry didn't arrive until ten minutes after the bell rang looking winded and out of breath. "Sorry, Professor Lupin, I-" He stopped dead when he saw Snape sitting at Remus's desk. "You're ten minutes late, Potter, so I think we'll make it ten points from Gryffindor," Snape said silkily. Harry remained rooted to the spot. "Where is Professor Lupin?" Harry replied as if Snape hadn't spoken.

"He says he is feeling too ill to teach and I believe I told you to sit down," Snape said with a twisted smile. Alexis clenched his fists beneath his desk. "What's wrong with him?" Harry asked in spite of a pleading look from Hermione. Snape's eyes glittered dangerously and Alexis realized just how fortunate Harry was that teachers were not allowed to hex their students. "Nothing life threatening," the potions master replied though he looked as if he wished it was.

"Five more points from Gryffindor, now sit down or it will be fifty." Harry glared stubbornly at Snape, but thankfully he sat down all the same. Snape looked around at the class, a sneer playing on his thin lips. "Now, as I was saying before Potter interrupted, Professor Lupin has not left any record of the topics you've covered so far--" "Please, sir, we've done boggarts, Red Caps, kappas and grindylows," Hermione filled in quickly with the air of someone who wanted nothing more than to help, "and we're about to start--"

"Be quiet," Snape said coldly. "I was merely commenting on Professor Lupin's lack of organization." "He's the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher we've ever had," Dean Thomas said boldly and Alexis felt a immediate surge of affection for his fellow Gryffindor. Snape looked more menacing than ever. "You are to easily satisfied," he said coolly as he picked up the text book from the desk.

Alexis didn't need to be a Seer to know this could only end badly as he watched Snape flick to the very back of the book, which surely he knew they had not covered. "Today we shall be discussing werewolves," he said. Alexis felt the bottom drop out of his stomach as his blood ran cold. Oh Gods. "Please, Professor," said Hermione and Alexis truly beginning to wonder if she had an impulse control problem, "we aren't supposed to be doing those yet, we're due to start hinkypunks." Snape turned his gaze on Hermione, looking very much as if he would like to slap her.

"Miss Granger, I was under the impression that I was teaching this lesson not you. And I am telling you to turn to page 394," Snape said in a voice of deadly calm. Hermione turned bright red and looked down at her desk. "All of you! NOW!" he ordered. With many bitter looks and sullen muttering, the class opened their books. "Now, which of you can tell me how we distinguish between the werewolf and the true wolf?" Snape asked.

Alexis was clutching his hands so tight he was sure he was going to draw blood. He couldn't believe Snape was doing this. He couldn't believe he was so petty. Everyone sat as motionless as him, well; everyone except Hermione, whose hand had taken its usual place in the air. And as usual, Snape ignored her.

His twisted smile had returned. "Are you telling me that Professor Lupin hasn't even taught you the basic distinction between-" "We told you," Parvati spoke up. Alexis had to admire her nerve. "We haven't got as far as werewolves yet, we're still on--"

"SILENCE!" Snape bellowed. "I never thought I'd meet a third year class who couldn't even recognize a werewolf when they saw one!" "Please, sir," said Hermione, her hand still in the air. "The werewolf differs from the true wolf in several small ways. The snout of the werewolf is--" Alexis knew instantly she had crossed the line and wanted suddenly to protect her and knew he couldn't.

"That is the second time you have spoken out of turn Miss Granger," Snape said so coldly it was a wonder the air around him hadn't frozen. "Five more points from Gryffindor for being an insufferable little know-it-all." Hermione went very pink and stared at the floor with tears in her eyes. The rest of the class glared daggers at Snape. It was a sign of how much they all hated him because everyone of them had called Hermione a know-it-all at least once, and Ron, who told Hermione she was a know-it-all at least twice a week if not more, said loudly, "You asked a question and she knows the answer! Why ask if you don't want to be told?"

From the look on their professor's face, the class instantly knew Ron had gone too far. Sometimes Alexis wondered if Gryffindor bravery was actually a lot closer to outright stupidity. Still, he had to admire Ron's daring. Snape advanced on Ron slowly, and the room went very still as everyone held their breath. "Detention, Weasley," Snape said smoothly. "And if I ever hear you criticize the way I teach again, you will be very sorry indeed."

Ron leaned back as far as possible in his chair and even his freckles seemed to have turned pale. No one made a sound. It seemed they were even afraid to breathe loudly. They sat in stony silence and made notes on werewolves from the textbook while Snape swept like a great bat up and down the desks, criticizing the work they had done with Professor Lupin. It was all Alexis could do to hold his tongue.

Finally, because in Alexis's opinion the Gods are merciful, the bell rang and class packed up at lightening speed. Unfortunately, Snape held them back. "You will each write an essay, to be handed into me, on the ways you recognize and kill werewolves. I want two rolls of parchment on my desk by Monday morning," Snape said with obvious in enjoyment at the looks of horror on their faces. Alexis was on his feet a second later. He'd had enough.

"What if we don't believe werewolves should be killed?" he asked. Suddenly every eye in classroom was on him but Alexis found that he didn't care. He only had eyes for Snape who was staring at him in a mixture surprise and barely contained anger. "Werewolves, Black, are among the most dangerous creatures in our world," Snape said finally with barely contained disgust in his voice. "With all due respect sir, werewolves are as human as you or I. They didn't ask to be bitten," Alexis said, struggling to keep his anger under control.

He kept thinking of pain his dad had to endure every month. The pain he was enduring at that very moment. He kept seeing looks of mingled disgust and fear on people's faces when they found out what his dad was. The jobs he had been refused, the opportunities he had been denied. His dad's own self hatred and the scars that ran so much further than skin deep.

Snape was in front of his desk a second later and Alexis never realized just how much taller his professor was than him until that moment. "Once a month, at the full moon, Black, a werewolf becomes a murderous beast that actively seeks humans as its prey," Snape hissed and several people gasped. Snape sneered, his black eyes burning into Alexis's grey ones. "Do you still believe that such creatures do not deserve to be killed?"

Alexis's met Snape's gaze evenly. "Yes," he said simply. For several moments, Snape simply stared at him. Alexis never looked away. Finally, with one last look of disgust, Snape returned to the front of the class and dismissed them. No one took their eyes off Alexis until they passed through the door.

Alexis left the class without another word to Snape though he could feel the potions master's eyes on him. Although he knew there was a large possibility that he would pay for it later, Alexis didn't regret a word he'd said and he'd do it again in a heartbeat.

* * *

The weather steadily worsened all week but Alexis knew better to believe that the match between Gryffindor and Slytherin would be cancelled. Quidditch matches were called off for little things like thunder storms, he knew Cassie and Uncle Regulus had once played in a blizzard because he had seen a picture of them standing on the pitch knee deep in the snow. And as sad as he was that his dad wouldn't be able to watch him, Alexis was feeling more excited as the game drew nearer and nearer. Even if it meant practicing until he could barely move and listing to Oliver's pep talks which were really starting to border on the psychotic. In fact, more than once Alexis had asked if his captain had ever considered therapy.

Oliver didn't even stop long enough to answer him so Alexis took that as a no. "I don't know how you can be so smart and like Quidditch," Hermione grumbled the evening before the match. She and Alexis were sitting at a table in the back of the excited common room working on their runes translations. Clearly all the pre-Quidditch match excitement was starting to grate on her nerves. "I'm a guy Hermione, we're genetically wired to be obsessed with Quidditch," Alexis said seriously. "It's a medical fact."

Hermione tried to shoot him an annoyed look but just wound by smiling. "What about girls?" she asked. "Some girls are born with the Quidditch obsession gene but it is very rare. My aunt is one of these rare cases," Alexis said with the air of a scientist explaining a Noble Prize winning theory. "Point in case, she once watched her brother Regulus play in the rain when she had pneumonia." Hermione laughed and shook her head wearily.

"That was very foolish, she could've ended up in the hospital wing," Hermione said though she was still smiling faintly. "She did and according to her the only thing she regrets is not being able to watch the final match," Alexis said cheerfully. Hermione looked scandalized though burst into a fit of giggles a second later. They had just finished their rune translations and were about to start on their Transfiguration essays when Harry burst into the common room, looking as stormy as the night sky. "We're not playing Slytherin. Flint told Wood Malfoy's arm is still injured, so we're playing Hufflepuff instead," Harry announced furiously.

"Has Oliver had a nervous break down yet?" Alexis asked gravely while Hermione hid a smile. "He went completely mental!" Harry said sinking down into the chair across from Alexis. "And it's all because Malfoy keeps faking that his arm is bloody injured!" Alexis felt a stab of annoyance and rolled his eyes. "I've got an idea; let's really injure him so he doesn't have to lie. I feel bad about him compromising his honor like that," Alexis said. Harry burst out laughing while Hermione shook her head and rolled her eyes and sighed in exasperation, "Boys!"

Alexis smiled slightly as he watched the two of them. _So this is what it's like,_ he thought, _to have friends._ The thought hurt more than he thought it still could.

* * *

At breakfast the next morning, Alexis found that the butterflies in his stomach wouldn't let him eat anything which, given that he felt he might throw if he did was not such a bad thing. The rest of the team looked just as nervous as he did which came as a great relief. The thunder was rolling overhead while the wind pounded against the castle like a giant wielding a hammer and rain came down in great torrents. And yet, Alexis had never felt so excited (or terrified) in his life. He couldn't wait to get out onto the pitch.

The noise of the storm was even louder in the locker room. It seemed much louder as the team was changing into their scarlet robes in a nervous silence. Even Oliver, perhaps for the first time in his life, had been struck silent. Finally, after giving up trying to say anything to his team, Oliver shook his head and beckoned for them to follow him out onto the pitch. The wind was so strong that Alexis actually staggered sideways when he walked out onto the field.

Normally, his slight build gave him an advantage in the air. Today he was praying he wouldn't be blown off his broom. If the crowd was cheering, Alexis couldn't hear it over the rolls of thunder though he knew the whole school had turned out. He wished his dad was there. That someone was cheering for him.

The Hufflepuffs approached, lead by their handsome captain-slash-Seeker Cedric Diggory wearing their canary yellow robes. _Well,_ Alexis thought, _at least we won't have any trouble seeing them._ With the word from Madam Hooch, they mounted their brooms and shot into the grey sky. Alexis's broom was swerving slightly but he managed to hold it steady. Within five minutes, Alexis was soaked to the skin but that didn't stop him from catching the Quaffle with his fingertips and throwing it to Angelina with all his might.

In spite of how increasingly difficult it was to see, Alexis never dropped the Quaffle though it was getting harder and harder to hold his broom straight. He even managed to score three goals and intercept the Quaffle more times than he could count. Gods, he loved this game! Alexis could also see that Harry was struggling because of his glasses. After the second time his team mate nearly crashed into another player, Alexis decided enough was enough. "Call a time out!" Alexis shouted at Oliver after he had passed Alicia the Quaffle, frantically pointing up at Harry. Oliver followed his gaze and nodded, motioning frantically at Madam Hooch.

With the shrill sound of her whistle, the team splashed unceremoniously into the mud. They huddled under a large umbrella at the edge of field where Harry frantically wiped his glasses. "What's the score?" he asked urgently. "We're fifty points up," Alexis informed him. "But if we don't get the Snitch we'll be playing into the night," Oliver said.

"I've got no chance with these on!" Harry said, waving his glasses in exasperation. Suddenly, Alexis had an idea. "I've got it! Harry, give me your glasses!" he cried over the rain. He handed them to Alexis, and as the team watched apprehensively, Alexis tapped them with his wand and said, "Impervius!" "They repeal water now!" Alexis said, handing them back to Harry.

Oliver looked like he could have kissed him. "Okay team let's go for it!" he shouted, the familiar glint of near madness in his eyes. Full of fresh determination, the team urged their brooms through the turbulent air. Unfortunately, the weather was getting worse and worse. There was another clap of thunder, followed immediately by forked lightly. This was getting more dangerous by the minute. Alexis hoped Harry caught the Snitch soon.

But just as Harry shot off after Diggory who had apparently just seen the Snitch, something strange happened. An eerie silence filled the stadium as if someone had cast a massive Silencing Spell even the wind seemed to have stopped roaring. Alexis felt his hands shaking but not from the cold. Something was very wrong. It was only when the horrible wave of cold swept over him and Angelina screamed that Alexis knew what was happening.

There were at least a hundred Dementors standing on the pitch beneath them. Alexis suddenly felt as if his insides were filled with ice and his blood seemed to have frozen in his veins though his heart was pounding frantically. And that was when the voices returned, though this time it was different. This time it was so much worse. This time, Alexis could see it.

_**It was the sound of the door closing that awoke him. The sky outside his window was pitch black and the great grey wisps of clouds hid the crescent moon from view. Alexis climbed out of bed and crept as quietly as he could into the sitting room. His father and aunt were sitting together on the sofa. They were both dressed in black and Cassie was wearing a dress and shiny shoes. Cassie never wore dresses.**_

_**His father's amber eyes were red rimmed and blurry. Cassie had her hand on his shoulder, her sapphire eyes filled pain and sorrow. Alexis wondered where his other father was, why he wasn't with them when they looked so sad. His dad started crying then, burying his face in his hands and sobbing liked a child. Alexis stared at the scene in shock.**_

_**Why was he crying? He was a grown up, grown ups weren't supposed to cry. Cassie wrapped her arms around him and held him the way she did Alexis when he cried, running her fingers through his hair. But his dad just cried and cried. Alexis had never heard anyone cry like that before. **_

**"_I'm sorry darling, I'm so sorry," Cassie was saying softly, sounding heartbroken and desperately sad. "I'm so sorry."_** Alexis didn't realize Harry was falling until he heard the screams. It seemed the entire stadium was screaming. The team streaked towards him but he was falling too fast.

Alexis was barely aware Dumbledore had arrived on the field, chasing the Dementors away with his great silvery phoenix patronous. His ancient face was livid and Alexis suddenly understood why he was the only wizard Voldemort had ever feared. He could have cried with relief when the Dementors gilded away. The headmaster waved his wand frantically but gracefully and Harry began to slow. Harry hit the soft ground as if he were a feather as the teachers converged on the field.

Diggory got the Snitch. They lost the game by a hundred points. A horrified Diggory wanted a rematch. But Alexis found as he stood there in the icy rain watching Harry be wheeled up to the castle that he didn't care. He could still hear the echoes of his father crying and Cassie trying so desperately to comfort him and he could still see Harry's limp frame falling from the sky.

His face was so streaked with icy rainwater that Alexis didn't realize there were tears on his face.

* * *

Alexis had just peeled off his sodden, mud covered robes when Oliver appeared in the locker room. The rest of the team was up visiting Harry in the hospital wing. "How is he?" Alexis asked urgently, dropping the robes into the hamper before rushing over to his captain. "Fine, unconscious but fine," Oliver said, seemingly unable to look Alexis in the eye. "He didn't even break his glasses."

Alexis sighed with relief and slumped against the aged locker nearest him. Harry was all right. He was all right. Alexis would have laughed with relief had he not seen the look on Oliver's face. "What's wrong?" he asked.

This wasn't about Harry, Alexis realized, this was about him. "Look Black, you're a great player, you really are," Oliver began slowly, looking as if he would rather be being subjected to an Unforgivable Curse then be standing there talking to Alexis. Alexis felt his heart sink but he said nothing. "It's just that well--" Oliver paused, looking everywhere but at Alexis.

"Those Dementors didn't come until you did that spell on Harry's glasses." Alexis stared at him, feeling his voice die in his throat. Oliver couldn't be serious. He couldn't actually be saying this. "I can't risk my team, Alexis, you understand that don't you?" Oliver said almost beseechingly.

Yes, he understood. How could he not? Alexis had grown up being Sirius Black's son. He understood this perfectly well. Alexis didn't say a word; he simply picked up his broom and brushed passed Oliver.

"I'm sorry," Oliver said, sounding almost regretful. Alexis didn't stop or even turn around. In truth, he wasn't even sad or angry. He wasn't even surprised.

And that was what hurt the most.

* * *

Alexis wasn't sure how long he had been laying on his back in the middle of the pitch with his head resting on his laced fingers and his eyes closed. The monsoon had turned into a faint drizzle and the coolness of the water on his face was actually rather pleasant. Alexis liked the rain, he always had and laying in it certainly didn't bother him. He was actually starting to drift off to sleep when something cold and wet nudged his cheek. Alexis opened his eyes and was surprised to see the pale eyes of the great black dog looking down into his own.

"Hey boy," Alexis said with a faint smile as his spirits lifted slightly. The dog moved closer and lay down beside Alexis on the wet ground, resting its heavy head and paws on his chest. Alexis's smile widened and he laid his hand atop the dog's head, stroking its soft fur. He wished he had a dog like this. People might disappoint you but animals never did.

"They kicked me off the team," Alexis told the dog. It sounded even worse out loud. "They think I sent the Dementors on Harry. Never mind that I'm a bloody third year and even the most skilled of wizards have trouble wielding control over those awful things, I'm Sirius Black's son so I must have done it!" Alexis said bitterly. The dog seemed to tense beneath his hand and whimpered almost sadly. Alexis sighed heavily, feeling guilty for upsetting the dog and rubbed its bony back comfortingly.

"He's my father, why is it so terrible that I love him?" Alexis said softly. "Why I am such an awful person for loving him?" Alexis wished the dog would answer him. He wished someone, anyone would answer him. The dog seemed cuddled closer and Alexis smiled slightly and wrapped an arm around the massive creature. "My aunt says people always leave you, it's just a matter of when," Alexis said thoughtfully.

He didn't want to believe that she was right. He wanted to believe that was good in everyone the way his dad did. But as Alexis laid there in the gathering darkness with what was perhaps his only friend in the world, he was starting to think Cassie might be right.

* * *

Harry spent the weekend in the hospital. Alexis didn't visit. It was cowardly he knew, but he was terrified that Harry blamed him for what had happened. In the end, it was Harry who sought him out in the library. He told Alexis how sorry he was that he was thrown off the team and that he didn't blame for what happened. But rather than being comforted by his words, Alexis felt horrible.

_He'd hate me if he knew about my father,_ Alexis thought. Still he forced a smile and thanked Harry for his kind words. As he watched his fellow Gryffindor walk away, Alexis had the sinking feeling that his time was running out.

* * *

"They cannot throw you off the team for that!" Remus shouted in a mixture of disbelief and anger. "They can and they have, I really think you should be in bed," Alexis said worriedly as he watched as his overly pale and much too thin father pace around the sitting room. He really shouldn't be moving around in his condition. "You didn't do anything! Anyone with half a brain would recognize a water repellant spell!" Remus raged as if he hadn't heard Alexis. "Go talk to Professor McGonagall, if she won't intervene, write Cassie! They can't do this, they have no right--"

Alexis leaped to his feet and seized hold of his father's arm. "I don't give a damn about Quidditch! All I care about is you!" Alexis said urgently, almost desperately. Remus's face softened as he allowed Alexis to lead him over to the sofa. His sore muscles and joints cried out with relief when he was at last off his feet. "I'm so sorry Alexis, you don't deserve this," Remus said softly, regretfully.

Alexis didn't say anything; instead he settled against his father's side and gazed thoughtfully into the fire. "It doesn't matter, it's just Quidditch," he said finally. Remus knew this was a lie. Alexis loved Quidditch and had spent the majority of his childhood asking for a real broom. Cassie wanted to get him one when he was seven and it had taken a month for Remus to talk her out of it.

He was good, better than good, Remus knew. Being Cassie and Regulus's nephew how could he not be? And he loved the game with a passion that could only have come from being Sirius's son. Remus hated that this had been taken away from Alexis when he had already lost so much. He sighed heavily and wrapped an arm around the boy's shoulders, pressing him close.

But most of all, he hated that he had never gotten to see Alexis play.


	18. Chapter 17: Too Little Too Late

Chapter Seventeen: Too Little Too Late

Nothing could have prepared Andromeda for the sight of her. Two years might as well have been two decades. The window between them might as well have been a brick wall. Once they had been as close as sisters. Now they were barely even strangers. Strangers born of the same blood.

Andromeda had been standing outside the shop for twenty minutes. The snow was falling on her but she didn't feel it. When had winter come so quickly? Cassie was with a customer. She hadn't seen her yet.

Andromeda raised a gloved hand to tap lightly on the glass. She lowered it a second later. _Coward,_ she thought viciously. She was brave enough to leave her family, to defy tradition but she was terrified of going into a bookshop. All she could do was stand at the window and watch.

Cassie was far too thin; that was Andromeda's first thought. She was far too thin and much too pale. She was so good at taking care of everyone else but so terrible at taking care of herself. Andromeda wanted to tell her to eat something, to take better care of herself but that would require going into the shop and actually speaking to her cousin. And as Andromeda found her legs seemed to have turned to stone and her voice had died in her throat that wasn't going to happen anytime soon.

Although if she was honest with herself, Andromeda had to admit there had been a wall between the two of them for thirteen years. Their separation hadn't come as a great surprise, not really, but that didn't mean it hurt any less. If anything, it made the pain even worse because of how close they had once been. Once she had thought of this girl as her sister, now they were nothing more than strangers separated by a pane of glass. And it was Sirius who drove them apart.

His arrest had hurt Andromeda as if he had been her own brother. She loved him, she'd always loved him and it had hurt to realize he was really no better than those they had claimed to hate. If anything, he was worse and Andromeda hated him for it. It had taken Andromeda many painful years to accept what he had done, that she hadn't really known him. It had hurt, Oh God how it hurt, but she had done it.

Cassie never could. She clung to her brother's innocence like a desperate person clutching at straws. She had never moved on. She had refused to accept what was right in front of her. Cassie had burned every bridge she had ever built for Sirius and made herself a social outcast until finally Andromeda could take it no more.

It had been a long time coming really. Long before the schism the old closeness had already begun to fade. Before that day, Cassie and Andromeda had only seen each other one or two times a year if even that. When Sirius had been arrested Andromeda could barely stand the sight of Cassie and Alexis. They were reminders of Sirius, of who he had been and sometimes it was just too painful to see them, especially Alexis.

For months after Sirius's arrest, Andromeda could barely look her once favorite cousin's child in the eye. Sometimes she couldn't even be in the same room with him. It was unfair, she knew, to take out her feeling about Sirius out on his innocent child but Andromeda just couldn't help it. That's not to say she hadn't felt guilt about she was doing and wanted so desperately to love Alexis the way she had once loved his father but try as she might, Andromeda just couldn't. And to her added shame it seemed Alexis could sense her distain towards him because on the rare occasions that Andromeda saw Cassie Alexis was seldom with her.

Cassie, who surely must have known, never said a word. But that was Cassie for you. She never wanted to hurt anyone. No matter how badly they had hurt her. It was one of the things Andromeda loved best about her youngest cousin, which was why it hurt so much when she walked away.

_**"You're being an idiot!"**_ God, had she really said that_? __**If Cassie was surprised by the outburst, it didn't show.**_Perhaps she had known this day was coming. _**"Deceit has many layers Annie. Am I an idiot because I refuse to see what everyone else has convinced themselves of?" **_

_**Her voice was calm and serene but her sapphire eyes were filled with defiance.**_This only made Andromeda angrier and angrier with each passing second. _**"There was a street full of witnesses Cassie! Even Dumbledore thinks he's guilty!"**_ Andromeda wasn't sure when she had started shouting but her voice was soon ringing around the room like a gong_. __**Her sapphire eyes flashed like summer lightening across a darkened sky. "I fail to see the validity of all that as no one ever bothered to investigate."**_

Cassie never shouted. She never even raised her voice. _**"You're blind because you love him so damn much! You're mind knows the truth but you're heart won't let you accept it! He's a murderer Cassie!"**_It was a low blow and the moment the words left her mouth, Andromeda wanted so desperately to take them back. _**"He's my brother, Annie. I knew him better than anyone else and I know he is not a murderer."**_

Some of the pain in her eyes bled into her voice_**. It took all the self control Andromeda had not to reach out to her. "You're ruining your life Cassie! You need to admit what he's done and move on with your life or I can't be around you anymore!"**_ There it was; the ultimatum. Move on or don't come back here again.

_**Cassie raised her sapphire eyes to meet Andromeda's grey ones.**_ She never once looked away. _**"How can I live without my other half? He's all I've got left Annie."**_ Her voice was soft, almost pleading for understanding. _**"Get out."**_

And just like that Andromeda had done what she had vowed never to do. She could still see Cassie's beautiful face, stunned and oh so sad. _**Cassie closed her eyes for a moment and sighed resignedly.**_ She never looked angry. She never yelled.

"_**All right, goodbye Annie." **__**With a swirl of her long braid and the frayed hem of her trench coat, Cassie was gone without another word.**_The second she walked out the door, Andromeda wanted to take it all back. But it was too late. Andromeda hadn't seen her since.

Inside the shop, Cassie had wrapped up the older woman's book in bright red paper and topped it with a great green bow. The woman smiled gratefully and thanked Cassie as she handed her a few pound notes. As the customer left, Cassie looked up. It was then that sapphire found grey and Cassie had seen Andromeda at last. Andromeda felt her blood run cold.

She shouldn't have come here. It was a mistake. Andromeda turned swiftly just as Cassie rushed to the door. She was halfway down the street by the time Cassie opened the door and stepped out into the softly falling snow. Andromeda didn't turn around and Cassie didn't call out though stood rooted to the spot long after Andromeda had turned a corner and vanished from sight.

Finally, Cassie shook her head and stepped back into the warmth of the shop. "They always leave you in the end," she said aloud to no one in particular.


	19. Chapter 18: Revelations

Chapter Eighteen: Revelations

November bled into December in a haze of hexes and rain. The holidays were fast approaching and one morning the residents of Hogwarts awoke to find themselves covered in several feet of snow. Extra torches had been brought in to heat the icy corridors and the lake had frozen solid. For the first time ever, Alexis had added his name to the short list of students remaining at Hogwarts for the holidays. The full moon fell just before Christmas this year.

Although Alexis felt guilty about leaving Cassie on her own, she sent no less than four letters reassuring him that he was perfectly fine. She even went so far as to threaten him with a Howler if he wrote her one more apology letter. Aside from all that, Alexis couldn't wait for the holidays to start as most of his classmates would be returning home which meant his holiday would hopefully be hospital visit free. Luckily, the only Gryffindors staying behind were Harry, Ron, Fred and George and Hermione so Alexis was looking forward to a relaxing holiday. Little did he know how wrong he was going to be.

* * *

On the last Hogsmeade visit before the start of holidays, another two feet of snow fell on the castle. Although Alexis was not looking forward to passing the Dementors especially given what he had seen the last time but this was his last chance to get his shopping finished. Besides, Alexis knew he was going to have to face his fears sometime and knew he would have to do it sooner rather than later. But that didn't stop Alexis's hands from shaking as he dressed that morning, padding himself out with his thickest jumper, Irish National Team hooded sweatshirt and carrying his trench coat, scarf, and gloves. He even traded in his battered Converse for the only other pair of shoes he owned aside from his school shoes, a pair of badly scuffed combat boots.

After a quick breakfast, Alexis and his fellow classmates plowed their way through the snow towards the school gates. And the Dementors. Alexis felt his shivering increase ten-fold as the terribly familiar waves of cold hopelessness washed over him. _Alexis was backed into a corner. Tears were pouring down his face and his lip was bleeding copiously onto his shirt. _

_The other children gathered around him. Like vultures surrounding a wounded animal. The rock came out of nowhere and struck his eye. Alexis cried out and staggered backwards. "Murderer, murderer," the children chanted, "Alexis's daddy is a murderer."_

Alexis gripped his pentacle and rushed passed the Dementors as fast the snow and the crowds would allow. He didn't loosen his vice like grip until he was half way down the drive. Even with the Dementors behind him, the walk into Hogsmeade was far from pleasant. Alexis wrapped his scarf over the lower part of his face, leaving the exposed part feeling raw and numb. Bent over double against the wind, Alexis wondered if he'd been better off back in the common room.

That was until he saw a large black shape sitting in the snow at the entrance to Hogsmeade. Alexis smiled beneath his scarf. That could only be one thing. Sure enough, the moment the dog caught sight of him it bounded towards Alexis. Barking happily, the dog leapt onto Alexis and knocked him backwards into a snow bank.

"Okay, okay, I missed you too," Alexis laughed as he struggled back to his feet. Shivering slightly, Alexis brushed himself off with his thickly gloved hands while the dog bounded happily around him in enthusiastic circles. Alexis laughed and shook his head, removing a few pieces of bacon wrapped in a napkin from his pocket that he had saved from breakfast. He always tried to feed the dog whenever they met. It was still so painfully thin.

The dog barked happily and eagerly gobbled up the bacon. Alexis wondered if the dog lived in the village. Given how often he saw the dog on the castle grounds, Alexis didn't think so. "Do you want to come with me while I do my shopping?" Alexis asked. It was pointless, he knew, to talk to a dog but since none of his classmates liked talking to him, Alexis took his conversation where he could get it.

Besides, sometimes he was sure the dog could understand him. The dog barked happily in response, running a few meters ahead and wagged his tail eagerly. "Well go on then," Alexis laughed. The bear like black dog bounded happily along side him in the snow. Together, Alexis and the dog made their way towards Honeydukes Sweet Shop.

The dog gamboled around Alexis happily, barking and chasing its tail. Alexis laughed at the dog's antics. "You have got to be the happiest dog I have ever seen," Alexis said with a grin. "Not that I've ever had a dog or at least I don't think I have."

Realizing that was he rambling, Alexis sighed heavily and shook his head and said with a laugh, "I really need to start talking to humans. I think I'm starting to get weird. Well, weirder." The dog barked loudly in response. "Great, even the dog thinks I'm bizarre," Alexis said happily, feeling more cheerful than he had in ages. The dog settled patiently in the snow in front of the shop while Alexis stepped into the mercifully warm, toffee-scented Honeydukes. The shop was packed from wall to wall with students, making it extremely difficult to maneuver around without stepping on someone or being stepped on. Alexis waved at Hermione who was examining a wall of unusual sweets with Ron before making his way towards the chocolate.

His dad was absurdly easy to shop for. Alexis purchased a massive box of fudge for his dad, some deluxe sugar quills for Cassie and even some squeaking sugar mice for Tonks. And a bar of Honeydukes chocolate for himself of course. Fighting his way through the crowd, Alexis stepped back out into the cold. The dog was waiting for him when he returned.

Bundling his scarf back over his face and with the dog bounding beside him, Alexis made his way down the road to the stationary shop where he bought some violent pink quills and some color change parchment for Tonks. "I haven't seen Tonks in about two years," Alexis told the dog as they trudged down the snow covered path. "I love her, I really do, but we've never really been close." Alexis had always loved spending time with his older cousin because she was so much fun but being around Tonks meant being around Andromeda. And she hated him.

At the robe shop just passed Madam Puddifoot's tea shop, Alexis brought a heavy block wool scarf and the thickest gloves they sold. Alexis still wasn't sure what he was going to do yet but he wanted to have something. Just in case. Thankfully, the elderly witch that owned Hogsmeade's only bookstore was an avid dog lover and was more than happy to allow the massive black dog to come in out of the cold. The bookstore was not a popular hang out so Alexis was free to browse in peace.

The dog settled into a warm heap at Alexis's feet as he looked through a nearby shelf. Alexis absent mindedly scratched the dog behind the ears as he examined the books. Finally, Alexis found a book on ancient Irish charms for Cassie. "My aunt loves books like this," Alexis told the dog as they went to the seldom visited Muggle section of the bookstore. "The older, the more obscure the book, the better."

Although it was nice having someone to talk to, Alexis wished the dog could talk back. "My dad though, he likes Muggle fiction," Alexis said fondly. Every bookshelf in their house (and there was quite a lot of them) was filled with Muggle books. Especially Lost Generation writers like Hemingway and Fitzgerald. "Books and chocolate, those are his vices," Alexis continued with a grin.

The dog barked softly in response, his tail wagging happily. Alexis smiled and patted the dog's head. "I think all we did when I was a kid was read," Alexis said, examining a book of Edgar Allen Poe's poetry before putting it back. That was a book for Cassie maybe but not his dad.

Finally, after examining a few more shelves, Alexis found a copy of Coleridge's _The Rime of the Ancient Mariner_ and even Hemingway's _The Sun Also Rises _for his dad. He even found a battered copy of Joyce's _Dubliners_ for Cassie. By the time they left the shop, the wind had thankfully died down though it was still snowing softly. Rather than risking any unwanted encounters with his classmates, Alexis lead the dog towards the Hog's Head Pub. Although Alexis did not go inside the grimy pub, he sat down on the large flat rock between the pub and the village.

The dog clambered onto the rock beside him and rested his head on Alexis's lap. Alexis smiled contentedly and stroked the dog's soft fur. He looked out at the small village spread out before him. Hogsmeade looked like a Christmas card; the tiny thatched cottages and shops covered in a layer of pristine snow. The holly wreaths on the doors stood out in stark contrast to the white landscape.

Alexis would have drawn the scene if his hands weren't frozen. Still, despite the cold there was no denying how beautiful it was here. He wondered what his father was doing at that very moment. If, wherever he was, that Sirius was safe. Sitting there on the rock with the dog beside him, Alexis hoped that he was safe.

* * *

Shaking from head to foot, their hands and faces numb with cold, Ron, Hermione, and an invisible Harry crossed the road and entered the Three Broomsticks. The warmth of the noisy, crowded inn was a welcome reprieve from the snow. While a red faced Ron went to get drinks from the pretty barmaid Madam Rosemerta, Harry and Hermione slipped unnoticed through the crowd to the back of the room to a small, vacant table near a massive Christmas tree. After Ron returned carrying three foaming tankards, Harry decided butterbeer was the best thing he had ever tasted. However, Harry never got the chance to enjoy the warmth of the delicious drink as the door opened and in walked professors McGonagall and Flitwick, Hagrid and none other than the Minister of Magic himself, Cornelius Fudge.

Harry barely had time to duck beneath the table as his teachers and Fudge walked right towards them. From somewhere above him, Hermione whispered, "Mobiliarbus!" The Christmas tree rose a few inches and landed with a soft thump in front of their table. It blocked them completely from sight. Harry could have kissed her.

Harry leaned lower, watching through the lower branches as the four adults settled themselves at the table right beside them. His heart was thudding painfully against his ribs. What if he didn't make it back to the castle in time? In spite of the cold, Harry was now sweating heavily. After Madam Rosemerta joined the teachers and the Minister at their table they immediately began discussing the Dementors.

And of course, Sirius Black. "Sometimes I still have trouble believing it," Madam Rosemerta said thoughtfully. "I remember him when he was a boy at Hogwarts. If you'd have told me what he was going to become, I'd have said you'd had too much mead." Fudge sighed heavily. "You don't know the worst of it Rosemerta," he said gruffly.

"Worse than murdering all those innocent people, what could possible be wore than that?" "Do you remember who his best friend was?" McGonagall asked heavily. Madam Rosemerta laughed softly. "How could I forget? You never saw one without the other. Lord, they used to make me laugh! They were quite a pair, James Potter and Sirius Black!" Harry didn't realize his tankard had fallen until it hit the stone floor.

"You'd have thought they were brothers," Flitwick piped up regretfully. "James trusted Sirius above all his other friends and nothing changed when they left school," McGonagall said sadly. "Black was best man when James married Lily and later they named him Harry's godfather," Fudge said. Madam Rosemerta gasped in shock. Harry felt his blood run cold.

"Harry has no idea of course; you can imagine how the thought would torment him." Madam Rosemerta lowered her voice as if speaking to someone on their deathbed. "Because Black turned out to be in league with You-Know-Who?" she whispered. Fudge took a deep, shuddering breath. "It was worse than that Rosemerta, so much worse. When Lily and James realized they were marked for death they went into hiding. No one knew where they were," the Minister said.

"No except their Secret-Keeper, Sirius Black," Flitwick filled in gravely, explaining briefly about the Fidelius Charm. "And he told You-Know-Who?" Madam Rosemerta gasped. There were three solemn murmurs of agreement. "He did indeed, and when You-Know-Who met his downfall in little Harry Potter Black had no choice but to flee," Fudge said darkly. "And I met him! I met the filthy stinkin' turncoat!" Hagrid said so loudly that half the bar went quiet.

In spite of McGonagall's desperate hushing, Hagrid raged on. "I jus' got poor little Harry outta the ruins when Black turned out on that flyin' motorbike of his. White and shakin'. AN' I COMFORTED THE MURDERIN' TRAITOR!" Hagrid roared. "Hagrid please!" McGonagall pleaded but to no avail. " 'Give Harry ter me Hagrid, I'm his godfather,' he says. Ha! I had my orders from Dumbledore an' I told Black no, Hagrid said proudly. "But imagine if I hadn't! Black've pitched him out ter sea! He murdered his best friend Peter Pettigrew an' those twelve Muggles! Once a wizard goes to the Dark Side no one matters to 'em anymore!"

A long, heavy silence followed Hagrid's words. Then Madam Rosemerta spoke hesitantly. "Well what about his son? Black loved that little boy to death. I can remember when he brought his son here to meet the staff after he was born. Black loved him more than anything else in world, anyone could see that. And what about that sister of his? Those two were practically joined at the hip! Surely Black loves them?" "Cassie is loyal to a fault, she always has been," McGonagall sighed. "Is it true she thinks he's innocent?" Madam Rosemerta whispered. "I'm afraid it is," Fudge said wearily.

"Madam Black has spent these last twelve years petitioning the Ministry to reexamine her brother's case. No one will represent her so she represents herself and doesn't care how many bridges she burns in the process." Fudge sighed heavily and there was the sound of him lowering his glass. "But yes Rosemerta, Black does seem to love his sister though whether it's genuine I couldn't truly say. I met him on my last visit to Azkaban; it's frightening how normal he seemed. He asked if his sister had been at the Ministry recently, if she seemed all right, said he was worried about her," Fudge said incredulously. Hargid snorted. "When I told him I hadn't seen her he said she must have been keeping busy and then he asked for my paper, said he missed doing the crossword, cool as you please," Fudge said uncomfortably.

"What about his son? Surely he must be at Hogwarts by now," Madam Rosemerta said suddenly. "He is and he's the mirror image of Black the way Harry is of James," McGonagall said thickly. "Alexander certainly isn't the exhibitionist Black was. In fact, he keeps mostly to himself but he is a brilliant student," Flitwick added. "Is he. . .like his father?" Madam Rosemerta said meaningfully. "Alexander has never shown any interest in the Dark Arts," McGonagall said almost defensively, "but then again, neither did Sirius," she added sadly.

There was a small collective clink of glass on wood. One by one, the pairs of feet in front of Harry slowly disappeared but he barely noticed. He was barely even aware of the concerned, stricken looks Ron and Hermione were giving him. He was at a complete loss for words, unable to think and unable to move. All Harry could think about was his parents' faces smiling up at him from the precious few photographs he had of them.

And of course, Sirius Black.


	20. Chapter 19: Confrontations

Chapter Nineteen: Confrontations

As he ascended the stairs, Alexis decided that there was a worse to be in the castle other than the dungeons during winter and it was the owlry. The higher he climbed, the colder it became. Icy wind blew in from all sides though thankfully it had stopped snowing. Shivering violently, Alexis bundled his coat even more tightly around himself and pushed open the heavy door to the owlry. The owls perched around the walls were huddled together against the cold, hooting mournfully.

Side stepping a large pile of frozen snow, Alexis reached up with a shaking hand and brought down a shivering school screech owl. The owl hooted gratefully; glad to away from the open window. It took twice as long for Alexis to tie the lumpy package containing gifts for Tonks and Cassie to the owl's leg because his hands were shaking so bad but finally he managed. Alexis watched the owl fly out into the frigid winter night until it flew through the coil of smoke rising from Hagrid's chimney and vanished from sight. He hesitated for a moment before taking a small, neatly wrapped package from his coat pocket and brought down his own owl Persephone.

With shaking fingers, Alexis tied the small bundle to the happily hooting barn owl's leg. "I know it doesn't say anything but it's for my dad," Alexis said softly, stroking her back as he carried her towards one of the holes in the wall. He wasn't sure why he was whispering when there wasn't another human in sight but it seemed important to be as quiet as possible. "Just find him all right?" Persephone hooted reassuringly then spread her wings and took off into the darkness.

* * *

When Alexis returned to the crowded common room, he found Fred and George had set off a dozen dungbombs in a fit of end of term spirits. Rather than endure the usual stares and whispers, Alexis slipped unnoticed into the dormitory which was not as empty as he had anticipated. Instead, he found Harry, Ron, and even Hermione sitting together on Harry's bed. The tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife. Hermione looked overly pale and worried.

Ron looked tense and anxious as if expecting to be attacked at any moment. But it was Harry's appearance that shocked him the most. All the color had drained from the Boy-Who-Lived's face and every inch of him seemed to radiating an amount of anger that was startling. Before Alexis even had a chance to take off his coat, Harry was on his feet and across the room in the blink of an eye. He never said a word; instead, he shoved a small leather bound photo album into Alexis's hands.

Puzzled, Alexis glanced down at the open book in his hands. When he looked down and saw the picture of the Potter's wedding party, Alexis felt his blood run cold as his heart sank. "That's your father," Harry said tensely, jabbing his finger at the picture so hard it was a wonder he didn't rip the page. Alexis sighed heavily and closed his eyes, waiting for the other shoe to fall. "I know," he said softly.

Hermione gasped and Ron took a sharp in take of breath. Harry was shaking with suppressed anger. "He was their friend, my dad's best friend. Did you know that too?" Harry hissed through clenched teeth, clutching his hands into fists at his sides. Alexis closed his eyes once more. It was as if someone had placed every picture he had ever seen of his father and his best friend on a constant loop behind his eyes.

"Yes." Alexis wasn't aware he had spoken until he heard the word aloud. Harry's fists were clenched so tight his knuckles had turned white. "He's my godfather," Harry snapped. Another picture flashed before Alexis's eyes, Lily and James standing in front of the small church in Godric's Hollow.

Lily Potter glowing with happiness, her six week old son cradled in her arms wearing a white Christening gown. James Potter standing with an arm around his wife, beaming with pride. Sirius was beside his best friend, beaming with pride and nervousness holding a giggling Alexis skillfully with one arm. Remus was between his two best friends, a brotherly arm around each of their shoulders. Cassie was smiling widely beside Lily in her best black velvet dress.

She later wore it to their funeral.

"I know," Alexis said so softly he had to strain to hear himself. Harry reached out and shoved Alexis as hard as he could. The photo album went flying across the room and Alexis went crashing to the floor in a heap. His elbow was throbbing painfully where it struck the ground but Alexis made no move to get up. "YOUR FATHER KILLED MY MUM AND DAD!" Harry screamed at the top of his lungs.

"HE WAS THEIR FRIEND AND HE BETRAYED THEM!" Alexis closed his eyes as if trying to shut out the words though they echoed loudly in his head as if someone was repeatedly striking a massive gong. "Why didn't you tell me?" Harry demanded. Alexis winced as if he had been struck and in truth he would have preferred that. "I didn't want you to hate me. It was selfish, I know but you were one of the few people that treated decently and I didn't want to lose that."

Alexis raised his grey eyes to meet Harry's emerald ones. "I should have told you and I'm sorry," Alexis said softly, apologetically. He spoke earnestly, almost pleadingly. The truth was all he had left now and he clung to it like a life preserver. Unconsciously, Alexis's hand slid up and gripped his pentacle fiercely.

Harry stared down at Alexis with a look of the utmost hatred on his stricken face, a look he usually reserved for the likes of Malfoy. "My parents are dead because your father betrayed them," Harry said through clenched teeth. "He's a murderer and a traitor. What does that make you?" Alexis stared helplessly up at Harry. "He's my father," Alexis said simply, almost pleadingly.

Harry didn't say another word. He didn't even give Alexis a second glance as he snatched up his photo album and marched over to his bed. Harry drew the hangings closed so roughly it was a wonder they didn't come crashing down atop him as he closed himself off completely. No one spoke. Ron hesitated for a moment before following suit, taking care to not so much as look at Alexis.

Hermione hesitated for the briefest of seconds before reaching down and helping Alexis to his feet. Her soft brown eyes were filled with unshed tears. Whether they were for him or for Harry, Alexis wasn't sure. Maybe they were for both of them. "Are you hurt?" she asked concernedly.

Alexis's elbow was throbbing painfully but it didn't even compare to how shredded he felt inside. "No," Alexis reassured him. "Don't worry, they'll come around," Hermione said, though her reassuring tone did not make her gaze. And neither did Alexis's as he nodded in agreement. Looking at Hermione, Alexis wondered just how much burrowed time he had with her.

* * *

_**Sirius was lying on his lumpy bed, staring at the ceiling and listening to the rain come down. It had been pouring like this for three days straight. Remus was on a mission for the Order. And Cassie, nutter that she was, was actually out walking in London's own monsoon. Sometimes Sirius was concerned about her sanity.**_

_**Gods help the poor bloke she ended up marrying. Ten month old Alexis was sound asleep beside him. His black hair was splayed all over the place, not unlike Sirius's own, and his tiny arms were wrapped around his bedraggled stuffed dog. Sirius smiled; reaching out to stroke the sleeping child's soft black hair. Alexis stirred and his grey eyes flickered open.**_

_**His face lit up at the sight of Sirius lying beside him. "Daddy," Alexis said happily. Sirius smiled and leaned forward to kiss Alexis lightly on the forehead. Alexis giggled and cooed, reaching his tiny hands up to caress Sirius's face. "Love you," Alexis said happily. Sirius smiled, "I love you too."**_

Sirius woke with a start and sat up, disorientated in the all encompassing darkness of the Shrieking Shack. His pitiful fire had gone out long ago, filling the room with a terrible chill. Sirius sat up in the ancient bed with the dusty hangings, shaking so bad he could barely bundle his tatty, thread bare robes around his wasted frame. Not that it made a difference, in fact if it wasn't for the boards on the windows Sirius probably would have frozen to death long ago. Sirius wrapped his thin arms around himself, feeling cold and empty without Alexis in his arms.

A soft flutter of wings drew his attention to the boarded up window nearest the bed. There was a small dark shape hovering just outside the window. Sirius held his breath and struggled to control his trembling even as an elemental panic filled him. His heart was thudding so painfully against his ribs that for a moment, Sirius wondered if it might actually be bruising them. The shape outside hooted insistently, rapping urgently on the weathered boards.

It was an owl, Sirius realized with a jolt of shock. Scrambling quickly to his feet though his numb limbs cried out in protest, Sirius pulled back a lose board and let the bird in. Leaving an owl hovering outside a supposedly abandoned haunted house would certainly cause some very unwanted attention. The barn owl flew inside and settled on the battered wardrobe. Stupid bird probably got lost in the snow earlier.

The owl regarded Sirius critically with its beautiful amber eyes and held out its leg which bore a small package. Sirius hesitated for a moment before reaching to untie the package. Although he felt guilty for taking someone else's package, Sirius prayed vehemently that there was something, anything he could eat inside it. Shaking, half-frozen fingers tore open the package to reveal a massive chocolate bar, a long wool scarf, and a pair of thick gloves. Sirius could've laughed aloud with happiness.

A small, neatly folded note rested atop the items. Sirius unfolded the note and moved closer to the sliver of moonlight coming through a small gap in the boards covering the window. It was just enough to illuminate the neat handwriting on the note.

_Dad,_

_I just wanted to tell you I miss you and I love you. I hope that whenever you right now that you're safe. _

_All my love,_

_Alexis._

Sirius could barely see through the tears that burned in his eyes. Frantically, he wiped them away but couldn't stop smiling. He read the simple note over and over again until he could recite it from memory. _I love you and I miss you._ Sirius wrapped the thick scarf around his neck and pulled the gloves over his bony, fragile hands, grateful for the warmth they brought.

He tucked the note into the safety of his robes beside the picture of Peter from the Daily Prophet.

"I love you too," Sirius said hoarsely into the darkness.


	21. Chapter 20: Yule

Chapter Twenty: Yule

"Why are you smiling like that?" Alexis asked, spreading a bolt of red cloth across the top of the low dresser in his dad's small bedroom. It was going to serve as a very simple version of a Yule altar this year. Their altar at home was a low rosewood table embossed with a pentacle in the center and the runes for earth, air, fire, and water in their corresponding corners. Sirius made the table and even carved the designs himself. Remus and Alexis were making his dad's altar in his bedroom so that it was out of sight in case his colleges came to call.

"I'm just thinking," his dad said casually, though a barely suppressed grin was playing at his lips. The full moon was drawing nearer with each passing day, leaving his dad looking overly pale and washed out so it was a relief to see him smiling so much. "What are you thinking about?" Alexis pressed, arranging the candles, the pentacle, and the objects representing the four elements as well as the tiny God and Goddess statues. "You," his dad replied with a wide smile. Alexis looked at him with raised eyebrows.

"I didn't realize I was so funny." Remus chuckled warmly and came to stand beside his son. "I was thinking about when you were four and your aunt made you a crown to wear and you refused to take it off," Remus said fondly. "You even fell asleep with it on." Alexis smiled at the memory.

That was the first Yule he could remember. It was by far one of his favorites. "I remember," Alexis said, adding some holly and pine cones to the altar. "Then I decided you two needed crowns so I begged Cassie to help me make some for the both of you," Alexis said with a grin. Remus burst out laughing at the memory, remembering Alexis's insistence that the adults being included.

Alexis was very much like Sirius in that respect, always wanting everyone to be having as much fun as he was. Nothing had changed when Alexis's got older. If he found away to get Remus and Cassie involved, he would do it. Just like Sirius. Remus remembered when he had been too weak after a transformation to attend the Christmas feast during his fifth year.

Not wanting Remus to miss out on the fun, Sirius proceeded to decorate his friend's hospital bed while the latter was sleeping. Remus awoke to find his bed covered in paper chains, tinsel, and ornaments nicked from the school trees, a miniature feast nicked from the kitchens and a grinning Sirius wearing a Father Christmas hat bearing wizard crackers. Once the shock had worn off, Remus couldn't stop laughing. Remus had never forgotten the kindness Sirius had shown him, the acceptance had always been there to offer. Even now the memory made him smile.

That was the Sirius Remus liked to remember. Smiling faintly, sadly, Remus watched Alexis place a messily painted sun and some crooked paper snow flakes on the altar. Alexis had made them when he was a child. They were by far Remus's favorite decorations. Finally, Alexis removed a small, carefully wrapped bundle from Remus's battered case.

Inside was a simple silver stag. His aunt had given it to his dad on his thirtieth birthday. His dad had hugged her for about ten minutes after she had given it to him. And every year when he placed it on the altar, his dad always wore the same sad, smiling expression. Alexis had no idea why the simple statue meant so much to his father but whatever the reason, it was special to him and Alexis respected that.

After he carefully unwrapped the small, silver stag, Alexis handed it to his father. Remus smiled faintly at the small stag. Prongs. James. Remus was still looking for a rat and a dog to go along side the stag.

Yes, even a dog. Casting Alexis a reassuring smile, Remus placed the statue in its rightful place on the altar. Remus draped an arm around Alexis's shoulders and pressed the teenager against his side. He had been so pensive and quiet lately. "Are you sure you're all right?" Remus asked again.

He had been asking the same thing for days. Alexis nodded but said nothing. He still hadn't told his dad about what had happened with Harry. Remus had enough to worry about without having to deal with Alexis's problems. The candles flickered softly in the gathering darkness.

Light and dark must always be in balance. Without the darkness there could be no light. Yule. The shortest time of year. Tonight the balance was tipped as far toward the darkness as it could go.

But the light always returned. It was the eternal balance. That was the what the Solstice was about, really.

Just when everything looks darkest, the light is reborn.


	22. Chapter 21: Merry Meet, Merry Part

Chapter Twenty-One: Merry Meet, Merry Part and Merry Meet Again

Whereas London was ever moving and forever changing, Godric's Hollow seemed to be perpetually standing still. The London one went to sleep in was seldom the London one woke up in. In Godric's Hollow, however, time seemed to be standing still. The pub, the post office, the church, and the tiny cottages were the same tonight as they were on that fateful night thirteen years ago and before that even. The cobblestones beneath her feet were the same ones she had walked the first time she had come here on the back of Sirius's bike fourteen years ago.

Remus had chosen to Apparate to the village and meet them in the square rather than get on Sirius's "flying deathtrap" as he liked to call the bike. From the moment Sirius had bought the bike, Remus had been terrified that Sirius would either get in trouble with the Ministry for enchanting the bike to fly or fall off and crack open his head. Cassie loved the bike; it was as close as she would ever come to flying again. After Sirius's arrest, Cassie had just barely been able to save the bike from being torn to pieces by an enraged Hagrid. The bike was now safely tucked away in storage as were most of her brother's things.

The icy air stung her already numb face as Cassie made her way further into the quaint village. The snow in the square had been impacted by holiday shoppers making it hard and slippery beneath her feet. Cassie gripped her walking stick tightly in her gloved hand. Villagers crisscrossed in front of her, their bundled figures illuminated by the streetlights and cast her brief, curious glances. In London people barely gave her a second glance and that was how Cassie liked it.

A snatch of laughter cut briefly through the silent winter night as the pub door opened and closed. If things had worked out the way Cassie had always hoped they would, she wouldn't have felt so out of place, so alien here. But fate had other plans and now she made this journey only once a year on Christmas Eve. Cassie paused briefly in the square, lowering the faded silver and green scarf from her face oh so slightly so that she could gaze up at the smiling marble faces. James would have loved being a statue, Cassie could just imagine his laughter, declaring it a monument to his greatness and that it was about time the rest of the world realized it.

Lily would have been embarrassed, gone on and on about how there were so many more deserving people in the world than her. And that they hadn't made James's head big enough. Try as she might, Cassie couldn't picture what Harry might say. In her mind, Harry was still that giggling, happy little baby that liked to grab her earrings. It was difficult to reconcile the baby Cassie knew with the teenager she had seen very briefly when she had accompanied Alexis to King's Cross station at the beginning of his second year.

Cassie drew closer to the statue, keeping her eyes on her friends' faces. She'd come to the dedication ceremony with Remus eleven years ago, stood among strangers while a Ministry official read meaningless words for people he hadn't known. People he hadn't loved. Neither Remus nor Cassie had been asked to speak. The werewolf and the murderer's sister.

Cassie plucked three perfect white roses from the bouquet she was carrying and laid them at the base of the statue. It was only fair that Harry had a rose too. Bundling the old Slytherin scarf around her face once more, Cassie turned towards the small church. It was nearly time for midnight mass. Cassie followed a group of parishioners into the warmth of the church and took a seat in the very back, out of sight and out of mind.

She shed her coat and scarf but kept the bouquet of white roses on her lap. The first time she had come to this church was with Lily and James. She'd seen them married here. She'd seen Harry baptized here. And in this church she had seen Lily and James laid to rest.

It wasn't supposed to be this way. This wasn't how their lives were supposed to turn out. As she stood in this church watching Lily and James take their vows and later as she listened to Sirius pledge to always watch over Harry, Cassie had imagined their lives. Circles in London and midnight masses here in Godric's Hollow. Lily and James would have three more children: two more sons and a daughter.

The Potters would come up to London for Yule and she, Remus, Sirius, and Alexis would come down for Christmas. The kids would be more like siblings than friends. Just like their parents. She and Lily would make dinner, Sirius would burn dessert. James would tell the children about the pranks they had pulled and Remus would advise them against following in their parents' footsteps though secretly wishing they would.

In Cassie's visions of future, she was married. The enmity between her prince and the Marauders had long since faded when maturity had finally set in. Now he laughed along side his former tormentors and helped his wife set the table. They would have two children: a son named for her brother and a daughter. The beautiful, albeit unrealistic dreams of a hopelessly naïve girl.

After Christmas services, Cassie bundled up once more and made her way not into the street but into the graveyard. The snow here was thick and untouched. It came up to her knees but barely felt the cold. Cassie moved through the snow, leaving a deep trench in her wake. The marble headstone seemed shine like a beacon in the darkness.

James Potter

27 March 1960-31 October 1981

Lily Potter

30 January 1960-31 October 1981

_The last enemy that shall be defeated is death._

Lily and James had chosen the words themselves. After their death it had fallen to Remus to see they were engraved upon the stone. With her gloved hands, Cassie carefully cleaned away the snow so that the stone gleamed. Remus couldn't bear to come here and Cassie didn't blame him, it took her weeks just to work up the courage to come each year. Cassie laid the bouquet of thirteen white roses, one more than last year, upon the pristine white snow in front of the grave.

She stood there for the longest time, thinking about the two people that lay beneath the ground. Her friends. It was hard to believe it had been thirteen years since they had been gone. In some ways it seemed like only yesterday, in others it felt like eternity. "Merry meet, merry part, and merry meet again," Cassie said softly as she left though she carried would carry them with her in her memories always.

It was only after she had vanished from sight that Kingsley Shacklebolt emerged from behind a dilapidated crypt and stepped forward towards the Potters' gravestone. How long he stood there in the bitter cold as the snow came down staring at a bouquet of thirteen beautiful white roses no one was sure.

* * *

Alexis wasn't sure when he had fallen asleep. Rather than endure the agony of the Christmas feast, Alexis had opted to enjoy the fire in the common room and make a few entries in the new Book of Shadows his aunt had gotten him for Yule with the handsome raven feather quill from Tonks. All he ended up doing was writing his name. Instead, Alexis merely sat and watched the cheerfully crackling fire, his thoughts fixed on his parents.

Remus, who was enduring yet another painful transformation alone in his office and Sirius who was Goddess only knew where equally alone in the darkness. Alexis gripped his pentacle. "May the Goddess bless and keep them," he whispered, barely aware he had spoken aloud. Alexis had fallen asleep not long after that, his hand still gripping the charm. "What did you go running to McGonagall for?!"

Alexis awoke with a start to see the Golden trio had returned to the common room. Harry was holding a tin of High-Finish Polish looking as if someone had hit him with a full body bind curse. Ron looked furious and Hermione was red with embarrassment though she looked defiant. Alexis sat upright in his chair, trying to remain unnoticed. Hermione drew herself up to her full height and stared furiously up at Ron.

"Because I think—and Professor McGonagall agrees with me—that the broom was probably sent by Sirius Black!" Alexis sighed heavily and lay back against the chair. Of course, the Firebolt. Although Alexis didn't doubt that his father had sent the broom, he certainly wouldn't have cursed it. After shooting Hermione some rather icy looks, Harry and Ron ascended the steps to the dormitory.

With an exasperated and angry sigh, Hermione threw herself down onto the sofa. She gave a small shriek of surprise when her eyes at last landed on Alexis. For several long moments, they simply stared at each other. "You weren't at the feast," she said pointedly, clearly indicating that the pervious incident was not open for discussion. Alexis eyed her wearily.

For someone so smart, Hermione certainly lacked common sense. "I don't go where I'm not wanted," he said simply. Hermione flushed brilliantly but didn't meet his gaze. Or tell him otherwise. As the two of them sat in silence and watched the fire, Alexis closed his hand around the small tennis ball seized glass orb containing a perfect moving model of the galaxy.

A Yule gift from his father.


	23. Chapter 22: Strife

Chapter Twenty-Two: Strife

And so the wheel kept on turning. Yule gave to Imbolc and classes resumed. Imbolc, the dawn of spring. The beginning of the sun's return. A time for beginnings.

Alexis spent most of this new beginning getting patched up in the hospital wing. The start of the new term meant the return of his classmates. And of course the hexing which had started up with a vengeance. If anything, it had gotten worse. It also seemed as if the upper classmen had decided to get in on the fun.

Alexis may have been a skilled dueler but he couldn't always defend himself against the _**very **_skilled sixth and seventh years. He tried to keep as much of it from his dad as possible but Alexis could tell from the look on his father's face that he knew everything. Remus was doing what he could to try and protect Alexis but there was only so much he could do. And it was tearing him up. Parents were supposed to protect their children and Remus felt as if he were failing miserably no matter what Alexis said.

Meanwhile, Harry and Ron were still furious with Hermione over the Firebolt incident and had taken to pretending she and Alexis didn't exist so the two outcasts were making the most of their burrowed time. True, most of their time was spent doing research for Buckbeak's upcoming hearing. Still, Alexis took his company where he could get it and was grateful Hermione still wanted anything to do with him. For however long they had. Besides, without his help, Alexis was pretty sure Hermione would have cracked under the strain of her full course load in addition to helping Hagrid.

How she was managing it all Goddess only knew. Alexis had suggested several times that she drop a few subjects but Hermione wouldn't hear of it and looked positively scandalized every time he brought it up. He wondered if she would still hold such on opinion when she collapsed from exhaustion. Not that he was stupid enough to ask her anything of the sort. The Daily Prophet arrived the day after Imbolc.

His father was to be given the Dementor's Kiss upon capture. Alexis didn't know how long he sat there at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall, trying to wrap his mind around what he had just read. But he was numb, unable to process the words. It was too terrible, too monstrous to let in. No.

No, no, no! It simply couldn't be. This couldn't be happening. It had to be just a bad dream. Not his father.

"Alexis?" Hermione's soft, nervous voice cut through the deadening fog in his mind. When Alexis was finally able to tear his eyes from the paper in his shaking hands, he found Hermione staring at him pityingly. She was one of the few students who read the Prophet everyday. Alexis felt as if he'd had the wind knocked out of him.

"It's nearly time for Potions," she said softly, uneasily. When Alexis finally found his voice, it sounded high and tinny. "Right, Potions." As Alexis got unsteadily to his feet and stuffed the paper into his bag, his grey eyes sought out his dad at the staff table. But his father's tormented amber eyes were fixed on the front page of the Daily Prophet.

There was nothing Alexis could say that would comfort his dad. Just like there was nothing his dad could say that would comfort Alexis. Hermione might sympathize but she didn't understand. There were only two people in the world who understood the pain Alexis's was feeling. And there was nothing anyone could do for them.

Alexis followed Hermione down to the dungeons in a daze. He was barely aware they had reached the door to the potions classroom until he saw the Slytherins. Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle were standing in a huddle with the rest of the Slytherin third years. All of them were looking at something in Malcolm Avery's hands and talking in low, conspiratorial voices. Avery's broad, troll-like face lit up maliciously as Alexis and Hermione approached.

Avery was holding the Daily Prophet. "Seen the paper today Black?" Avery asked loudly. All eyes were now fixed on Alexis and Avery. Alexis was determinedly looking anywhere but at Avery. If he did, there wouldn't be enough left of the latter to convict him. Malfoy shot Alexis a brief, almost pitying look before fixing his gaze firmly on Avery.

By now the rest of the Gryffindor third years had arrived and were now watching the scene with interest. Avery, apparently annoyed by Alexis's lack of reaction stalked forward until he was standing directly in front of the smaller Gryffindor. "It's really a shame about your dad," he said in a carrying voice that echoed horribly around the dungeon. "They say he was a great dark wizard." Alexis raised his grey eyes to meet Avery's muddy slits evenly.

"And you'd know all about that wouldn't you?" Alexis said in a low, deadly voice. The dungeons suddenly went deathly quiet. All eyes were now fixed firmly on Alexis. Avery stared down at him, his eyes blazing. "What is that supposed to mean?" he demanded.

Alexis smiled coldly. "Tell me Avery, what did your father have to tell the Ministry to save himself from Azkaban? How many of his friends did he have to sell out? How many people did he bribe, threaten?" Alexis said conversationally. He heard several gasps but kept his gaze fixed on the massive Slytherin third year. Avery looked beyond enraged. "Shut your filthy mouth Black!" he hissed.

But Alexis was far from finished and even less afraid. "Brave enough to take the Mark but not brave enough to pay for it," Alexis said softly. Alexis was about to turn away when Avery reached out suddenly and seized hold of his wrist. "Let go of me!" Alexis snapped, trying to wrench his now throbbing wrist out of Avery's grasp. His grip didn't loosen, no matter how much Alexis struggled.

"I think it would be in your best interest to listen to Black, Mr. Avery," said Snape's voice from where he was no looming over Avery. He seized the back of Avery's robes and pulled him away from Alexis with one fierce tug. Alexis quickly took a step back towards the rough stone wall. "Would you care to explain why you were grabbing Black?" Snape asked coldly. "I was. . .we were. . .Black and I were just talking," Avery said feebly.

"Were you now? Well, it certainly didn't look like Black was at all interested in what you had to say," Snape said, casting a quick glance over at Alexis who was still gripping his smarting wrist. How could this day possibly get any worse? "Five points from Slytherin Mr. Avery," Snape said, releasing Avery's robes as he pushed open the classroom door. "Everyone get inside, NOW!" Snape ordered. Everyone hurried to obey.

"Are you all right?" Hermione asked as they took their seats. She was white faced and terrified. "I'm fine," Alexis reassured her, finally releasing his already bruising wrist. "I shouldn't have said that." "No," Hermione agreed, "but he shouldn't have said what he did either."

* * *

"Black, I'd like a word," Snape said as the class filed out of the classroom. Alexis stopped halfway out the door and turned around. "Yes sir." Hermione cast him an apologetic glance before rushing off to her next class. Alexis can't say he wouldn't have done the same.

The dungeon weren't exactly a safe place for a Gryffindor to be alone. "Yes professor?" Alexis said once the last of the Slytherins had disappeared through the door. "Is your wrist hurt?" Snape asked suddenly. "What?" Alexis asked, certain he had heard wrong. "Your wrist Black," Snape snapped in annoyance, "is it hurt?"

"Oh, no, it's just a bit bruised," Alexis said quickly. Snape nodded though his cold gazed remained on Alexis. "Is that all sir?" Alexis said uneasily. "Yes, you may go." Alexis nodded and turned to make his way out of the classroom. Severus stared at the door long after Alexis had vanished from sight.

* * *

Three days after Imbolc Gryffindor played Ravenclaw. If Gryffindor defeated Ravenclaw they would play Slytherin for the cup. Alexis hadn't been to a match since his dismissal from the team. He was probably the only person in the entire school not attending the match. Even Hermione was going though her fight with Ron had reached new heights since Crookshanks had eaten Ron's rat.

And while the teams soared above the cheering crowd, Alexis was laying sprawled out on his bed examining the contents of his bag and massaging his black and blue wrist. Gryffindor beat Ravenclaw. They were going to the finals. The party went on all day into the night. Alexis never left the dormitory.

The Gryffindor party ended only when Professor McGonagall came up at one in the morning and insisted they all go to bed. Only once the noise had died down was Alexis finally able to fall asleep. That night, he had a very strange dream. _**Alexis was sitting on the grass, jabbering happily the way only babies can. The large, shaggy black dog appeared as if from nowhere.**_

_**Alexis giggled and clapped his hands. Gurgling, Alexis crawled over and put his tiny hands onto the black furry face. The dog leaned down and nuzzled the baby with its massive head. Alexis cooed and squealed with delight. Then as suddenly as the dog appeared, it was gone.**_

_**And in its place sat—**_"AAARRRGGHHH! NOOO!" Alexis shot up in the darkness as if he had electrocuted. Disorientated, Alexis fumbled with his hangings until he found a divide in the curtains and threw them open just as the dormitory door slammed shut. Dean Thomas lit his lamp a second later.

And that was when Alexis saw Ron, sitting up in bed white faced and terrified amid a mess of torn hangings. "Black! Sirius Black with a knife!" Ron choked out. "He slashed the curtains! Woke me up!" Alexis was out of bed a second later; he threw the dormitory door open and ran down the stairs as fast as he could. His father was here.

The dim glow of the dying fire illuminated the debris that littered common room. It was empty. Alexis felt his heart sink even as relief washed over him. The common room was filled with sleepy, confused people a second later. Harry rounded suddenly on Alexis, his emerald eyes blazing.

"You let him in didn't you?" Harry shouted. The common room had suddenly gone very quiet. Alexis wondered if they could hear his heart pounding. "I haven't left the dorm all day," Alexis protested. "You would've heard me leave!"

Harry laughed a harsh, mocking sound. "Come off it Black! The dark wizard doesn't fall far from the tree!" he hissed. Alexis felt a sudden upsurge of anger. "My father is not a dark wizard!" Alexis yelled right back. There were several startled gasps and a dark murmuring that sounded like a swarm of angry bees seemed to surround him.

"Now really!" Professor McGonagall had appeared once more looking absolutely furious. "What is the meaning of this?" she demanded it. "I WOKE UP AND SIRIUS BLACK WAS STANDING OVER ME WITH A KNIFE!" Ron burst out suddenly. "Don't be absurd Weasley, how could he have gotten through the portrait hole?" she pointed out reasonably though her gaze lingered momentarily on Alexis.

"Ask him!" Ron said, pointing a shaking finger at the back of Sir Cadogan's portrait. "He's a bloody moron!" Shooting Ron a disapproving look, McGonagall pushed open the portrait and stepped outside. No one moved or made a sound. "Sir Cadogan, did you let a man into Gryffindor Tower?"

"Certainly my good lady!" cried Sir Cadogan. You could have heard a pin drop in the silence that followed. "B-but the password!" McGonagall stammered in disbelief. "He read the whole week's off a little piece of paper!" the inept knight declared proudly. Professor McGonagall staggered back through the portrait hole, her face white as chalk.

She crossed the room in a second, seizing hold of Alexis's shoulders in her trembling hands and shook him slightly. "Did you give your father the passwords to the tower?" she demanded. Alexis felt his heart sink. "No," he said softly.

His own Head of House thought he was guilty as sin. "Professor," said the shaky voice of Neville Longbottom. "I—I had the week's passwords written down and—and I lost them," he choked out. He was overly pale and shaking from head to toe. And so the castle was searched again and there wasn't a trace of Sirius Black to be found.

Alexis remained sitting in the common room sofa long after the others had reluctantly had returned to their dorms. Everyone that is, except Hermione. Pale and teary eyed, she glared down at Alexis. "He could have killed Ron and Harry!" she said shrilly. "And--and you're no better! You—you probably let that monster into the castle even if you didn't let him into the tower!"

And with that, she turned on her heel and marched up to the girl's dormitory. Alexis didn't call out to her. There was no point; he knew that well enough by now. They all leave you in the end. It was just a matter of when.

He stayed in the common room for the longest time, watching the fire sink lower and lower as he prayed to every God and Goddess he knew that his father was safe. When the fire had faded to the dimmest of embers, Alexis decided everyone had probably fallen asleep and that it was safe for him to return to the dormitory. He was half way up the stairs when a flicker of movement out of the corner of his eye stopped him in his tracks. His heart stopped. Could it be?

As quickly and as quietly as he could, Alexis crept back down the stairs and ducked down to look beneath them. "Lumos," he whispered. It wasn't his father hiding under the stairs, it was the dog. The poor thing, it must have followed the Quidditch team upstairs looking for food and been scared by the noise and indeed the massive creature was curled up in a trembling ball in the darkness. It whimpered sadly at the sight of him.

Alexis sighed and extinguished the light at the tip of his wand. He would probably get in trouble for this since students were not allowed dogs but at this point what did it matter. "Come on," he said softly, motioning for the dog to come out. "Everyone's gone now." Hesitantly, the dog crept from beneath the stairs, looking up at Alexis mournfully.

Alexis smiled softly and stroked the dog's head. "Yeah, I know how you feel," he sighed. The dog barked sadly and nuzzled Alexis's hand with its massive head. _At least I've still got you_, Alexis thought sadly, _people might leave you but animals never will._ "Come on," he said, beckoning the dog to follow him up the stairs to the dorm.

As he expected, everyone was sound asleep. He'd take the dog back to the grounds in the morning but it couldn't hurt to let it spend the night in doors for a change. Alexis climbed back into bed and drew the curtains as the dog clambered up beside him with a surprising grace for an animal so big. It settled against his side, nuzzling Alexis with its soft head as it whimpered softly. Alexis smiled and flung an around the massive creature, caressing its soft fur.

He drifted off to sleep soon after, keeping his arm wrapped around the dog. It was nice to have someone with him, even if it was a dog.

* * *

Sirius awoke just before dawn. It had been risky, stupid even, to stay with his son but he just couldn't leave him. He loved him, he loved him so much. Sirius would make this right, not matter what it took, he would undo the damage he had done. For the briefest of moments, the massive black dog became a man once more.

He watched Alexis sleep for a few moments longer. The sun was rising; he had to leave now, before one of the other boys woke up. Sirius pulled the quilt up over his son and smoothed the hair from his face. "I love you, I love you so much," he whispered hoarsely. And with that Sirius transformed back into Padfoot and dashed as fast as he could from the tower.


	24. Chapter 23: Shattered

Chapter Twenty-Three: Shattered

February gave way to March and Imbolc faded into Ostara. His dad turned thirty-four on the tenth. Alexis threw him a little party in his office complete with a chocolate cake courtesy of the house-elves in the kitchen. Cassie turned thirty-one on Ostara. She went to the Dahli exhibit at the British museum and then to a play. Cassie didn't much care for parties anyway.

Uncle Regulus would have been thirty-three on Valentines Day. Alexis lit a candle for him on the altar. Sirius would be thirty-four on Litha. It was strange really, to have so many people born on Sabbats. Samhain, Ostara, Litha.

It was an even stranger sensation to watch oneself slip further and further away from those around you. The closest thing Alexis had to compare it to was a house of cards. Once they started falling the only thing you could do was watch it happen. Save for the few hours a week Alexis was able to see his dad, nearly all of his time was spent alone. He tried to avoid the common room when it was full, taking refuge in the library.

Alexis was always the first one to class and usually the last to leave. He sat alone at break times and took to eating when the Great Hall was mostly deserted. Were it not for his dad and the dog, Alexis would have been completely alone. And apparently his misery was bleeding through in his letters to Cassie because she kept asking if he was all right. Just after Ostara Buckbeak was condemned to die and the golden trio was reunited once more. Had Alexis not been feeling so utterly miserable he might have been happy for them.

He wondered if the pain ever stopped, if the loneliness ever faded. Thanks to his increasing solitude, Alexis had plenty of time to wonder about things like that. And increasingly about his past; his parents and his aunt. He never thought about Emma Riordan. Not now or ever.

It all started with the dream he'd had the night Sirius had broken into Gryffindor tower. The dream about the dog. There was something very important about the dream. Something he couldn't remember. And that's exactly what Alexis was thinking about on his way to Charms when he was cornered by Malcolm Avery and his gang of troll like cronies.

They surrounded Alexis like a flock of oversized vultures, flexing their muscles threateningly. "Move Avery I need to get to class," Alexis said wearily. He was in no mood for this right now. Avery sneered down at Alexis as the group formed a circle around the two of them. By now everyone in the corridor had stopped to stare, probably hoping the Black would get what he deserved.

"Do you think you're better than me Black?" Avery barked. Alexis said nothing though his gaze never left Avery's face. "Well I've got news for you Black; compared to me you're lower than dirt." Avery smiled down at the smaller Gryffindor. Alexis clutched his hands into fists so tight his nails drew blood.

_Don't say anything;_ Alexis kept telling himself, _he's not worth it._ But it seemed Avery was far from finished. "My family name commands respect. Your family is nothing but a bunch of lunatics and murderers," Avery sneered, his ugly face centimeters away from Alexis's calk white one. "Half your family is locked up in Azkaban and what's left isn't worth much more. Present company included," he went on in a low, mocking voice. Alexis was so angry he couldn't see straight.

Avery straightened, staring down at Alexis as if he were something unpleasant on the bottom of his shoe. "Your father's a murderous raving lunatic and it's only a matter of time before that aunt of yours ends up in a padded room at St. Mungo's. If you ask me, the Dementors will doing your father a favor when they finally end his worthless--" Avery never got to finish his tirade because Alexis hit him across the face with all the strength he could muster. They say everyone has a breaking point. And that was Alexis's.

The entire corridor seemed to gasp in shock as Avery staggered backwards, looking positively flabbergasted. Even his Slytherin cronies seemed frozen in shock. But it seemed that Avery's shock was only temporary because his stunned look was replaced with one of the utmost rage before he pulled back his massive fist and slammed it into Alexis's face. Alexis threw his arms up to protect himself but it was far too late for that. Avery's fist sent Alexis crashing to the ground where he smashed his head against the rough stone floor.

A second later, the air filled with the smell of copper as Alexis's nose and mouth filled with blood. Alexis scrambled to sit up as quickly as he could before he drowned right there on the floor. The blood streamed through his pale fingers and soaked his shirt. The crowd around them was gasping and talking very fast. Someone, a girl, screamed.

Alexis was on his feet a second later and lunged forward onto Avery, sending them both crashing to the floor. As he and Avery rolled about wildly, Alexis was punching every part of Avery he could reach and the latter was responding in kind. Alexis barely felt the blows crashing into his body but hoped Avery felt every blow. Avery seized hold of the front of Alexis's robes and slammed his back against the rough stone floor. His left wrist bent beneath him as Avery wrestled him to the ground and snapped beneath his slight weight.

Alexis screamed as someone nearby shouted "IMPEDIMENTA!" Avery was knocked over backwards and off of Alexis by the sheer force of the spell. Professor Snape was running towards the fray, his black robes billowing around him like great bat wings and his wand in hand. It was he who had sent the Impedimenta spell. His shallow skin was color of spoiled milk and he was actually shaking with rage as he yanked Avery, who was sporting a fantastic black eye and a split lip to his feet.

"Go to my office NOW!" Snape ordered the clearly terrified Avery who scrambled to obey. Snape then reached down and helped a very shaky albeit numb Alexis to his feet. Alexis broke free of his grip a second later and rounded on the stunned crowd. "HE'S MY FATHER!" Alexis screamed at the top of his lungs. The time for silence had passed.

"HE'S MY FATHER AND I LOVE HIM! I'M NOT ASHAMED OF THAT AND I WILL NEVER APOLOGIZE FOR IT!" Tears burned in Alexis's eyes but he wiped them away. "Imagine if it was your father! Your mother! Imagine what it's like to be condemned for loving them!" Alexis said pleadingly, imploringly. He looked around at the shocked, guilty faces of the crowd around him. When Snape seized hold of hiss arm and started to lead him away, Alexis didn't resist.

Once the shock subsided, the pain washed over Alexis like a wave. The crowd parted like the Red Sea. Draco Malfoy was leaning against a nearby wall, looking paler than usual. "I'm sorry," he said silently. Presently it occurred to Alexis that it was probably Malfoy who had gone to get Snape but he was too numb to care. Snape walked Alexis all the way to the hospital wing.

Alexis raised his startling grey gaze to meet Snape's cold one evenly. Had it not been for the pain, the sadness coursing through him, Alexis might have been surprised at the sorrow on the potion master's face. "Thank you," Alexis said thickly. Snape opened his mouth to say something but seemed to think better of it and merely nodded.

Alexis turned away and pushed open the double doors leading to the hospital wing. "I'm sorry," Snape said softly. His voice echoed pitifully around the deserted corridor.

* * *

Remus came flying into the hospital wing ten minutes later, out of breath and devoid of what little color he had. Alexis was sitting on a bed at the very end of the empty ward wearing a white hospital robe. His face was washed out and pale. Alexis's lower lip was split open, his left eye was blackened and his wrist was eased in a white cast. Remus had a sudden vision of a sixteen-year-old Sirius standing bloody, battered, and beaten on the Lupin family doorstep.

Pushing the memory aside, he rushed forward and sat down on the edge of the bed, shaken but relieved. "I'm so sorry," Alexis said softly. His voice wavered out of control. Puzzled and concerned, Remus reached out and took Alexis's shaking hand in his, gripping it gently. "You don't have to be sorry, I'm not angry," Remus said reassuringly.

He may have wanted to murder Malcolm Avery but he certainly wasn't angry with Alexis. "I love him, I'm sorry," Alexis choked. "Who?" "Dad," Alexis said so softly Remus had to strain to hear him. And that was when Alexis shattered.

Alexis threw his arms around Remus and pressed his face into his father's chest, his sobs muffled against the lycanthrope's robes. Startled and saddened, Remus held Alexis close and stroked his soft hair. Alexis clung to Remus as if he were a life preserver, sobbing with utter abandon. "I love him," Alexis wept and wept. Remus pressed Alexis close, fighting back his own tears.

"I know," Remus said softly. Alexis just cried and cried, his thin frame shaking with harsh sobs. "He didn't do it, I know he didn't!" he cried. Remus clasped Alexis close, resting his cheek atop the teenager's soft head. "I know," Remus said so softly he could barely hear himself.

Alexis tightened his arms around Remus, clinging to him desperately. "I'm sorry," he said again, almost pleadingly. As gently as he could, Remus drew back and cupped Alexis's tear streaked face in his hands, tenderly forcing the teenager to meet his gaze. "You don't have to apologize for that, not ever," Remus said softly, leaning down so that their foreheads touched. "I know you love him because I still love him too."

Remus never left Alexis's side, not even after he fell asleep. Let people talk, none of it mattered anymore. All that mattered was Alexis. _I still love him too. _It was the first time he had said those words aloud in thirteen years. Remus reached out and smoothed the hair away from Alexis's bruised face. And Remus never realized just how true those words were until that moment.

* * *

Later that evening, after everyone had gone to bed and Remus was keeping his vigil by his son's bed, Severus Snape sat down behind his desk. Malcolm Avery had been docked thirty points and given a week's detention for the whole debacle. Thankfully, Alexander had not been gravely injured. Although he could have been. Black's child or not, Alexander did not deserve that.

Sighing heavily, Severus ran a hand through his lank hair. Yes, this was what had to be done. No matter how painful it was. Severus reached into his desk drawer and withdrew a sheet of parchment before taking up an elegant eagle quill, dipping the tip into a bottle of black ink. He hesitated for the briefest of seconds before putting quill to parchment.

_**Dear Cassie,**_


	25. Chapter 24: Photographs and Memories

Chapter Twenty-Four: Photographs and Memories

Tonks wasn't exactly a slob, not really, but her flat did tend to get a bit well cluttered. Okay, maybe cluttered was an understatement. Charlie Weasley swore loudly when he stubbed his toe for the third time as he navigated the bomb site that was Tonks's bedroom in search of his shoes. How in the hell did she find anything in this mess? Deciding not to risk further injury, Charlie plopped down on the edge the lumpy bed to wait for Tonks to finish showering so that she could help in his search.

Maybe there was some secret to finding things in this disaster area. Hopefully, otherwise they'd both be late. It was then that his gaze fell on the photographs grouped on Tonks's overflowing wardrobe. Although Charlie had been to Tonks's flat plenty of times, he'd never given the pictures a second thought. Now he left the safety of the bed to get a better look.

There was a picture of Ted and Andromeda, Tonks's parents, beaming on their wedding day. Charlie had met them when he and Tonks graduated from school. They seemed like good, down to earth people and he liked them very much. In another picture Tonks, whose hair was a rather violent shade of orange stood laughing beside him at Hogsmead in their fifth year. It had taken him weeks to work up the courage to ask her to go with him even though she was his best mate.

Although Charlie lived and worked in Romania following his dream of working with dragons and Tonks lived in London following her dream of being an Auror, he still came to see her on his monthly weekend off. He loved his family, he truly did but sometimes the Weasley clan could be a bit, well, overbearing sometimes. Charlie still dropped in to visit his parents, his mum was have his hide if he didn't, but he always came early to spend time with Tonks first. His blue gaze settled on another and his heart skipped a beat when he saw Sirius and Cassiopeia Black smiling back at him. He forgot sometimes that Tonks was related to them.

Black was not the wasted convict whose picture had been plastered all over the front page of the Daily Prophet for months. This man was handsome and laughing as if he didn't have a care in the world. The difference between the man he was then and the man he was now was startling, frightening really. It was like looking at two different people. Cassiopeia was laughing at something out of frame and waving at the camera, an arm around her brother's waist.

She looked so happy, so care free, a world away from the woman Charlie had seen when he had gone with his father to the Ministry so many years ago. He'd nearly crashed right into her as he and Bill chased each other around the Atrium while their father was talking to his college Perkins. Charlie had expected the stunning young woman with the bright sapphire eyes to be angry but she smiled and waved away his stammered apology, saying there was no harm done and carried on her way. He didn't know who she was, not until later and when he did he could barely believe it. Her eyes seemed brighter in the picture, so much more innocent and vibrant. His gaze shifted again to Black. Did he know then what he was going to become? Hell, did she?

They had both fallen so far from who they had once been. With a weary sigh, Charlie glanced at the picture taken at Tonks's graduation from Hogwarts and smiled in spite of himself because he had a similar picture at his own flat though with a great deal more people. She had turned her hair blonde for the occasion and was beaming with her diploma in hand as she posed with her family. Mrs. Tonks was dabbing her eyes with lace handkerchief and Mr. Tonks was practically bursting with pride as he stood with an arm around his only child's shoulders. Cassiopeia was there as well, standing slightly apart from the happy group, dressed entirely in black in spite of the glaring sunlight and smiling oh so slightly.

Her sapphire eyes weren't visible through the rounded blue tinted glasses she was wearing but weariness seemed to radiate from her very being. There was a boy who looked to be about ten beside her, looking uneasy and smiling only faintly. Her arm was wrapped protectively around his shoulders. Charlie frowned in puzzlement. Was that her son?

He didn't think she was married since she still used the surname Black (why was beyond him) and Tonks had never mention having a younger cousin. Charlie was sure he would have remembered that. There was a framed photo of the kid looking to be about the same age he was at Tonks's graduation, sitting on a low staircase and smiling sheepishly. Suddenly it hit Charlie like a Bludger to the back of the head. That was Sirius Black's son, the one in Gryffindor with Ron!

How many times had Ron written to him complaining about that kid? God, he was his handsome father in miniature. The kid was what, thirteen or fourteen now, the same age as Ron and probably looked more like his father now than he did in those old pictures. Charlie stared at Black's son for a few moments longer. He certainly wasn't a happy child was he? But then again, how could he be.

"Charlie, have you seen my jeans anywhere?" Tonks said as she emerged from the steam filled bathroom wrapped in a fluffy purple towel, her pink hair dripping. "They're in the same place you left them dearie," he said, pointing to the heavily patched blue jeans draped over the footboard of the bed. His eyes roamed over her body, taking in every beautiful detail. "I love the new look by the way," he said with a grin as she playfully swatted his arm. "Git," Tonks's said, pulling her jeans on before crossing the room to open the top drawer of the wardrobe.

"Seriously, you should dress like this more often," Charlie said with a seductive smile. Tonks's laughed and shook her head, pulling out several tops only to toss them onto the bed before finally deciding on a purple Weird Sister's t-shirt. "Yeah you'd love that you bloody pervert," Tonks said, her voice muffled as she pulled the shirt over her head, "me running around in nothing but my knickers and a towel." Charlie laughed again as Tonks ran a brush quickly but skillfully through her bubble gum pink locks, smiling at him in the mirror. His laughter died as his eyes once again fell on the photo of Black and Cassiopeia.

"How old are they in that picture?" he asked, nodding at the photo. Tonks followed his gaze and frowned slightly in thought. "I dunno, I think Cassie was fifteen so he would have been about eighteen," she said, searching through the debris on the floor for her own shoes. Charlie's gaze remained on the photo. Black was in Azkaban three years after it was taken.

"Did your mum take it?" Tonks shook her head, reaching her hand under the edge of the bed. "James Potter did, at least that's what Cassie told me." There was something rather sick about that in Charlie's opinion, letting the man Black would later betray to the most evil wizard in all of history, his supposed best friend, take a picture of him and his sister. "Bollocks to this," Tonks huffed after she climbed to her feet and retrieved her wand from the nightstand.

"Accio shoes!" A purple boot came zipping from beneath the wardrobe while another soared in from the kitchen. Tonks caught them daftly and sat down on the bed to lace them up. "That's his son isn't it?" Charlie asked nonchalantly. He never said Black's name around Tonks, it upset her too much.

Tonks nodded without looking up. "Yeah, Alexis, he's fourteen now," she said just as easily. When she did look up however, she was smiling. "He's such a sweet kid, funny too." Charlie's eyes wandered once more to picture.

"He doesn't look it," he said. Tonks's smile wavered and faded a bit. "It's hard for him, you know, being his son," she said with uncharacteristic seriousness. Charlie nodded but said nothing. If the way the Cassiopeia was treated was any indication he didn't want to imagine the things Black's son had to endure.

"Are you two close?" he asked. Tonks shook her head, looking pensive and regretful. "Not really, I mean, I wish I could say we were, but I haven't seen the kid face to face since he was twelve and I can't honestly say we were close before that," she said heavily, at last finishing tying her boots. She looked up at Charlie, her warm brown eyes filled with sorrow he hadn't seen since Black first escaped. "It was hard for mum when Sirius was arrested, to realize that he was no better than the people, the values she hated," Tonks explained.

"And I think it was even harder for her to deal with Alexis, you know, because he looks so much like his father. She wasn't mean to him or anything," she added quickly, seeing the look on Charlie's face. "At least, not intentionally." Charlie stared at Tonks in surprise, unable to imagine Andromeda Tonks as anything but the kind, caring woman he knew. Still, he also couldn't imagine what it was like to have to see a reminder of the person who had betrayed you every single day. "Eventually, we started seeing less and less of Cassie and Alexis, and when Cassie did come round Alexis usually wasn't with her," Tonks went on, jerking Charlie from his train of thought.

"And then when mum and Cassie stopped talking we didn't see them at all. I mean, I write Cassie and I see her from time to time but it's not the same and I haven't seen Alexis since." Charlie sat down on the bed beside her and took her small hand in his. "It must have been hard for you," he said sympathetically. Tonks smiled slightly, sadly. "I can remember how we used to be, how happy we were, how close," she said softly, gripping his hand tightly.

"Sometimes I don't even recognize us." Charlie draped his arm around her trembling shoulders and hugged her close. He'd never realized just how much all this had affected her until this moment. With a heavy sigh, Tonks got to her feet and approached the dresser. She picked up the picture of her graduation, lightly figuring the glass.


	26. Chapter 25: Valkeryies Unleashed

Chapter Twenty-Five: Valkeryies Unleashed

Breakfast at the Gryffindor table the next morning was a very subdued event. Even the Slytherin table was strangely quiet. Alexis Black was nowhere to be seen. And Harry was feeling utterly awful. Alexis may be Sirius Black's son but he certainly wasn't a bad person.

Harry had shared a dorm with Alexis for the last three years and the other boy had never been anything but kind to him. He had even given Harry the benefit of the doubt last year when everyone else thought he was the Heir of Slytherin. The second Harry learned Black was his godfather and what he done to his parents, he never gave Alexis that same courtesy. To him, Alexis was no better than his father.

Tainted from birth.

Hermione, who'd witnessed the fight between Alexis and Avery, was feeling as bad as Harry. And although Ron would never admit it, so was he. Half way through breakfast, the doors to the Great Hall banged open with such a force it was a wonder they hadn't been torn from the hinges. Every head in the vast hall swiveled towards the doorway where a slight woman now stood, silhouetted in the sunlight. And for one wild moment, Harry thought she was a vampire.

The woman was dressed in a set of plain black robes that looked to be made of silk that billowed around her as she walked. She was leaning heavily on a sleek black walking stick and was easily the most beautiful woman Harry had ever laid eyes on. The woman was beautiful in an ethereal, otherworldly way. A plait of raven hair showed stark against her pale skin. Her features were angular, aristocratic and perfect.

But her eyes were easily the most startling thing about her, even from far away. They were large and deep set and such a bright sapphire they seemed to have an inner light. The woman marched determinedly towards the staff table, limping rather heavily. Her beautiful face was filled with cold fury. Ron gasped and jabbed Harry sharply in the ribs with his elbow.

"That's his sister!" Ron said in a low, urgent voice, his eyes fixed on the woman. "Who?" Harry whispered, rubbing his smarting ribs. "Sirius Black! That's his sister; the one Fudge was talking about. Dad told me about her." Harry stared at the beautiful woman in open mouthed shock. Sirius Black's sister.

Alexis's aunt. All the teachers too were staring at the woman with the same nervous fixation as their students though Lupin seemed to look, well, relieved. Finally, she came to a dead stop about a foot from the staff table. Dumbledore got to his feet, his twinkling eyes filled with a weary sadness. "Madam Black," he greeted her cordially.

"Headmaster," Madam Black said coolly. She had an incredible musical, lilting voice. "If you would be so kind as to allow me to escort you to my office, I would be more than happy to discuss what happened with you," Dumbledore said kindly. Madam Black's eyes flashed dangerously. "I want to speak with Professor McGonagall," Madam Black said in a calm, controlled voice.

Her sapphire gaze shifted to a rather uncomfortable looking McGonagall. "You're his Head of House, are you not?" Dumbledore sighed heavily. "Minerva, if you would," he said, gesturing towards Madam Black. McGonagall nodded and got slowly, almost reluctantly to her feet.

"This way," Professor McGonagall said, motioning to for Madam Black to follow her. The younger woman inclined her head politely, following the Transfiguration teacher out of the stunned Great Hall.

* * *

The two women silently ascended the stairs towards Minerva's office. Cassie carried herself like a princess, even leaning on her walking stick. She always had. The silence, however, was new. Minerva remembered Cassie as she had been as a student and later as a member of the Order of the Phoenix as an ever laughing, always smiling girl who was seldom silent.

Just like her brother. When they reached Minerva's office, she opened the door and ushered Cassie inside. Minerva sat down behind her desk while Cassie settled in the chair in front of the desk. Gone was Cassie's sweet, dreamy transparency. She had become heavy, opaque.

"The altercation between your nephew and Mr. Avery--" Minerva began but Cassie cut her off. "I don't give a damn how the altercation started, I want to know why this wasn't stopped," Cassie said with barely contained anger. "Why wasn't what stopped?" Minerva asked in puzzlement. Cassie opened her purse and pulled out a thick stack of parchment. "The hexing, the random attacks, the fact that my nephew spends most of his free time in the hospital wing," Cassie said, flipping furiously through the sheets of parchment in her hand.

Cassie raised her fierce gaze to meet Minerva's. "Feel free to stop me if I miss something." Minerva opened her mouth to respond, only to close it a second later. "There is only so much we can do if a student doesn't report they're being bullied," she said finally. It was a lie, a feeble one at that and Minerva knew it.

And so did Cassie. She leaned forward and rested her folded arms atop Minerva's desk, her sapphire eyes blazing. "I don't give a damn how you and the rest of the world treat me, I am an adult but Alexis is a child!" Cassie snapped. Minerva lowered her eyes to the polished surface of her desk, unable to meet Cassie's gaze. Although she would never admit it, not even to herself, maybe somewhere, deep down, Minerva did want Alexander to suffer, to pay for his father's sins.

Slowly, Minerva raised her gaze to meet Cassie's once more. "I should have never let him come here, it was against every instinct I had," Cassie said softly, more to herself than Minerva. "Why did you send him here?" Minerva asked, she had been wondering that since Alexander arrived. "Surely you know better than anyone the way people treat your family. Why subject Alexander to that?" Cassie sat back in her chair, her startling gaze fixed on her former teacher.

"I was happy here," she said simply. And in that one, brief moment, Minerva saw the Cassie she remembered. A moment later she was gone. "If I ever find out about anything like this happening again, and mark my words I will find out, all of you will see why I am so much more dangerous than Sirius ever will be," Cassie said in a low, deadly voice. Minerva sighed heavily and nodded.

Sirius Black's son or not, Alexander didn't deserve to be treated like that. No one did. "I want to see my nephew," Cassie announced suddenly, "where is he?" "In the hospital wing, would you like me to escort you there?" Minerva asked. Cassie laughed coldly as she got to her feet and took up her walking stick. "This was my home for seven years; I think I can find my own way."

* * *

"It's so good to see you again, though I certainly wish it was under better circumstances." A soft laugh rang out in the suffocating silence. "If I waited for better circumstances I doubt I'd ever see anyone. Thank you so much for taking care of him, I knew he'd be in good hands with you here." Alexis opened his eyes blearily, wincing at the sudden burst of light. Where was he and why in the hell was everything so damn bright?

Alexis felt very groggy. The words he was hearing seemed to be traveling at a snail's pace to his brain, making them very difficult to understand. Slowly, the fog in his head began to fade and voices became clearer. One of them belonged to Madam Pompfry, he was sure of that, and the other was—"CASSIE!"

Alexis sat up and jumped out of bed just as his aunt turned around. Cassie's face burst into a wide smile though her eyes were filled with worry. She caught Alexis in a fierce embrace as he collided with her. Alexis had never been so happy to see his aunt. "I'll give you two some time," the matron said and strode away into her office.

After the two drew apart, they settled onto the foot of a nearby bed. Cassie reached out and cupped Alexis's bruised face in her thin hands. "I'm so sorry," she said unexpectedly. Alexis stared at his aunt in a mixture of surprise and utter confusion. What on earth did she have to be sorry for?"

"This isn't your fight and you shouldn't have to suffer for it," Cassie said softly. _You suffer_, Alexis thought sadly. "He's my father, it's my fight," Alexis said quietly. Cassie smiled softly, sadly albeit a little proudly. "How do you deal with it?" Alexis asked suddenly.

"Deal with what, darling?" "The way people treat you, hell, the way people look at you when they realize you're dad's sister," Alexis said, his grey gaze bearing into his aunt's sapphire one. "How have you dealt with that for thirteen years?" Cassie opened her mouth to respond only to close it a second later. "I know he's innocent and no one, no matter what they do or say, can take that away from me," Cassie said finally.

Alexis was suddenly filled with a terrible sadness. "But that's just it Cassie, I'm not like you, I'm not as strong as you, I'm not--" Alexis rambled distraughtly until Cassie seized hold of his shoulders and shook him slightly. "Goddess be praised you're not like me!" Cassie said fiercely. "I am the most jaded, broken person you will ever meet and I pity anyone even remotely like me." Alexis stared at his aunt in silent shock.

Never in his entire life had he heard Cassie speak like that. Alexis stared at his aunt as if seeing him for the first time. His father's only remaining sibling. He had never realized just how much losing his father had hurt her until this moment. Cassie smiled then, softly, sadly as she smoothed the hair from her nephew's face.

"So no love, you're not like me. You're like your father and that means you are so much stronger than me," she said softly. Alexis stared up into his aunt's beautiful face. His father's little sister. The only mother he had ever known. "If you don't want to stay here, just say the word and we'll leave right now," Cassie offered.

Alexis could only stare at her. Leave Hogwarts? As terrible as things had become, Alexis had never once considered leaving. Remus was here. And so was Sirius.

Somewhere. "I need to stay here," Alexis said. He couldn't leave, not now. Not yet. This was where he was meant to be.

Thankfully, Cassie who spoke endlessly of fate, God, and destiny, understood. She nodded understandingly and patted Alexis's hand. "May the Goddess bless and keep you love," she said softly though her eyes were filled with sadness and worry. Cassie had promised her brother she would take care of Alexis and she intended to keep that promise, not matter what the cost.

* * *

"Cassiopeia." Cassie was half way down to the Entrance Hall when she heard her name. She paused and turned to see who had called out to her. When her eyes came to rest on him, Cassie smiled wearily. "Come now, Severus, I think we're a bit passed that," she said.

After a moment's hesitation, Severus stepped out of the shadows and approached her. It had been too long. She was so very different now. "Why is it I'm Cassie on parchment and Cassiopeia in person?" Cassie asked with a faint smile. Severus flushed and shifted uneasily.

"Is Alexander getting his things?" he asked as if she hadn't spoken. "No, he's staying." Severus stared at her in surprise. "Do you think that's wise?" he asked meaningfully. "It's his decision," Cassie said simply.

Severus regarded Cassie wearily. "You didn't answer my question," he said tiredly. Cassie's beautiful face broke into a small smile. "And you didn't answer mine," was all she said. Against his will, Severus's thin lips curled into a faint smile.

"You never wrote me back," Cassie said suddenly. "What?" "I write you eight bloody times a years, nine if you count your birthday and you never once wrote me back," Cassie clarified though there was no anger or reproach in her voice. Severus shifted uncomfortably, looking anywhere but at Cassie. "I didn't know what to say to you," he said honestly. Lying to her, he had learned long ago, was a losing battle.

Cassie's smile widened and she nodded approvingly. "Thank you for telling me the truth and for writing me though I wish the circumstances had been better," she said sincerely. Severus merely inclined his head. She was one of the few people that could actually strike him speechless. Cassie closed the distance between them and took his hand in hers before he had the chance to pull away, giving it a brief squeeze. Severus could feel the familiar scar that ran from the edge of her thumb nail to the tip of her index finger beneath his fingers and struggled to keep his face neutral. "It was good seeing you again," she said softly. She meant it; he could hear it in her voice and knew she was perhaps the only who had ever really meant it.

All Severus could do was nod. There was so much he wanted to say. And nowhere near enough time to say it all. All Severus could do was watch her go once more, unable to even say goodbye.

* * *

Remus was waiting for her on the stone steps in front of the castle. "Thank you for coming so quickly," he said gratefully as the two friends descended the steps. "I'm so sorry I didn't tell you sooner," he said regretfully. Maybe if he had told her what was going on this could have been prevented. Cassie reached out and patted his arm comfortingly,

Remus gripped her hand tightly, sighing heavily. "You were right," he said heavily, regretfully. "About what?" "We should have never sent him here, it was a mistake," Remus said, running a hand through his graying hair. Feeling a sudden pang of sadness for the man beside her, Cassie linked her arm with Remus's and pulled him close.

"No darling, _you_ were right. We both spent some of the happiest years of our life here," Cassie said, gesturing across the vast green grounds with her walking stick. "And we let Alexis make the decision of where he wanted to go which was the right thing to do and you know it." Remus looked down at his friend, surprised and touched by her words. Chuckling softly, Remus draped a brotherly arm around Cassie's shoulders. "You're a good friend Cassie," he said sincerely.

Cassie smiled softly, looping her arm around Remus's waist. Remus and Cassie made their way down the drive and through the gates where the Thestral drawn carriage was waiting. "Take care of yourself, darling," Cassie said, folding the lycanthrope into her arms. She didn't tell him to take care of Alexis. There was no need to say it, there never was.

Remus nodded and hugged her close. "Cassie," Remus said just as she had taken the first step into the carriage. Unless something else happened Remus wouldn't get another chance to ask her this until the end of term. Cassie paused and stepped back onto the ground. "When Alexis was on the train to school a Dementor came into his compartment," he explained.

Cassie nodded gravely. "It stands to reason that it would sense his connection to Sirius," she said heavily, raising her sapphire gaze to meet his amber one. "And yours." Remus nodded, shivering faintly at the memory of his own encounter. "The Dementor tried to grab him but it couldn't," he went on, "I've read every book I can find about Dementors but I can't find a reason for why it couldn't touch him. I thought you might have some idea or know of some book that might have the answer."

Cassie smiled faintly and chuckled softly to Remus's confusion. "Oh how soon we forget," she said, closing the gap between them. Before Remus could ask what she was talking about, Cassie reached up and hooked one of her frail fingers through the thin gold chain beneath his robes. A small tug revealed a gold pentacle charm no bigger than a sickle hanging from the chain. Cassie's smile widened as the small charm resting against her pale palm caught the sunlight and gleamed.

Remus glanced from the charm to Cassie, feeling if possible even more confused. "I don't understand," he said. "Lord and Lady who entrusted us with this precious gift, we give guardianship of this new life up to you. May your blessings keep him safe from harm," Cassie recited. As realization slowly dawned on Remus, his confusion deepened. "Are you saying it couldn't touch him because he was Wiccaned?" Cassie simply shrugged, letting the pendant fall back against Remus's robes.

"The Goddess works in mysterious ways," was all she said. Remus sighed heavily and tucked the necklace beneath his robes once more. That was one of those Pagan sayings that drove him crazy. Remus smiled wearily and shook his head, "Bye Cassie." "See you later Remus," Cassie said with a wide smile, stepping up into the carriage and pulling the door shut behind her.

Cassie sank back against the battered cushions as the carriage pulled away from Hogwarts. She couldn't help but smile. Cassie opened her purse and pulled out the thick leaf of parchment, separating them into two piles. One letter from Severus, the first in fourteen years. And the one from Remus that arrived less than a minute later.

The Goddess truly worked in mysterious ways.


	27. Chapter 26: Falling Away

Chapter Twenty-Six: Falling Away

A/N: This chapter is dedicated to the wonderful laura-stewart! I hope you're feeling better!!

In spite of Alexis's protests and constant quoting of the Geneva Convention, Madam Pompfry insisted on keeping Alexis in the hospital wing over the weekend. And that keeping a patient over the weekend did not in fact violate the Geneva Convention. By the time Alexis left the hospital wing and made his way up to Gryffindor tower to change into his school uniform (which took even longer than usual thanks to his broken wrist) and retrieved his book bag, Potions was half over. Snape only glanced up briefly when Alexis entered though the entire class was staring at him intently. "Get back to work!" Snape barked.

All eyes instantly returned to their books and cauldrons. The only seat open was next to Draco Malfoy. Alexis set up his cauldron at Malfoy's table, fumbling to get his potions book from his bag. He had just barely pulled the book from his bag when Ginny Weasley tentatively entered the classroom and edged uneasily up to Snape's desk. "Yes?" Snape said coolly.

"Excuse me, sir, but the Headmaster wants to see Alexander Black immediately," she said hesitantly, wringing her hands nervously. Alexis felt his heart sink further. Oh Gods, what now? "Very well, Black—take your things and go. I want you back here at lunch to finish the assignment," Snape said, peering at Alexis down his hooked nose. Alexis barely smothered a sigh.

Great, just bloody great. And today had started off so well already. "Yes sir," Alexis said, swinging his bag over his shoulder as he got to his feet and headed towards the door, fumbling to put his book back into his bag. "Here, let me do it," Ginny said when the dungeon door closed behind them. She took the book from Alexis and put it back into his battered, patch covered bag.

"Thanks Ginny," Alexis said gratefully. She was one of the few second years that didn't scurry away at the very sight of him. Ginny blushed as red as her hair and nodded at her shoes. "Any idea what Dumbledore wants?" Alexis asked as the ascended the staircase. Ginny shook her head and gazed up at him sympathetically.

"I don't think you're in trouble," she offered. Although both Avery and Alexis had lost points for the whole debacle, only Avery had received detention because he had started the fight. One Malcolm Avery was now spending his evenings helping Flitch polish the school's vast collection of trophies and shields. "The password is Sugar Mice, good luck, Alexis," Ginny said as the at last reached the spiral staircase leading to Dumbledore's office. "Thanks Ginny!" Alexis called after her as she disappeared.

"Sugar Mice," Alexis sighed heavily. He might as well get this over with. There was a groan and creak of stone, and Alexis found himself standing on what was probably the fifth stair on a slowly rising staircase. It was getting lighter as he rose, and soon the corridor was no longer visible. When the stairs finally stopped turning, Alexis found himself in another corridor, and made his towards the single door on legs seemingly made of lead.

The brass knocker shaped like a Griffin felt heavy and unfamiliar in his trembling hand. Alexis let it fall ominously against the highly polished wood door and a kind voice bade him enter. Alexis suddenly felt very nervous. In a few seconds he was gong to meeting with Albus Dumbledore, a wizard as famous as the school he ran. Albus Dumbledore, the greatest wizard of all time.

Willing himself to stop trembling, Alexis silently prayed for strength and stepped inside. The room was rather large, shelves cluttered with all sorts of silvery objects, things Alexis couldn't even begin to identify. Dumbledore, who was sitting behind a massive desk smiled warmly and gestured for him to sit down. Alexis glanced upwards as he sat down across from the Headmaster, and saw that the walls were covered in paintings of past headmasters and headmistresses. All of them starting at him with utter fascination, here and there, one would flit out of their own painting, and into a neighbor's painting, watching him intently.

"Good afternoon, Alexander," he said warmly, "how are you feeling?" His sparkling blue eyes lingered on Alexis's newly acquired (albeit fading) bruises and cast. "I've been better," Alexis said honestly. The famed wizard's smile was a bit too understanding.

Dumbledore folded his hands atop the polished oak desk between them and regarded Alexis attentively. "I suppose you're wondering why I called you out of class," he said, gazing at the youngest Black over his half-moon glasses. Again, Alexis decided honesty was probably the best policy. "I assume it has something to do with my father," he said simply, reaching up with his unbroken hand to move his pentacle along its chain. To his surprise, Dumbledore actually smiled.

Had it been another teacher, Alexis would have probably been told off for being cheeky. "You are very perceptive, Mr. Black," he said. Alexis had no idea what to say to that so he decided on, "Thank you, sir." When all else fails, be polite. "I don't know where he is and he hasn't tried to contact me," Alexis said before Dumbledore could ask and in his opinion this was not technically a lie.

He'd been through this many times before and was used to it by now. For several long moments Dumbledore regarded Alexis in silence. Though it was probably only a few seconds, it felt like forever. "And if you did know where he is or if he had tried to contact you, would you tell anyone?" he asked at last. "No, sir," Alexis answered without a moment's hesitation. If Dumbledore was surprised, it didn't show.

The aged Headmaster sighed heavily and got to his feet. "And why, may I ask, is that?" he asked, walking around his throne like chair to stare out the window directly behind his desk at the vast green grounds. "Because I love him," Alexis responded simply, "I love him and I know he's innocent." Dumbledore sighed again as the portraits began muttering amongst themselves. He turned to face Alexis once more, his back towards the window.

"Love can make a person blind to even the most terrible of actions," Dumbledore said knowingly. "With all do respect sir, I think you're wrong," Alexis said, wondering if the elder wizard could hear his heart pounding. "I think love gives us clarity to see what others cannot." How many times had Cassie told him that when he was growing up? And he believed it; in the very depths of his soul he believed it.

His father was no murderer. Alexis felt tears burn in his eyes but quickly blinked them away. He had always and would always love his father. And nothing anyone said or did was ever going to change that. Dumbledore actually smiled faintly, pityingly.

"You are so young so very young but you have suffered so much more than most," he said seemingly to himself. _No_, Alexis thought viciously, _Cassie and my parents have suffered so much more than anyone deserves to suffer. _Everyone always forgot about them: the innocent man damned to twelve years of hell on earth, Cassie who was condemned to over a decade of scorn and hatred and Remus who had lost nearly everyone he held dear. Everyone else may have forgotten about them but Alexis never did. "I understand how hard this must be for you," Dumbledore offered sympathetically.

"With all due respect sir, no you don't," Alexis said tightly. "There are a grand total of two people who understand how hard this is and you are not one of them." Dumbledore regarded him sympathetically and nodded. "There is nothing worse in this world than to lose the ones we love," he said knowingly, his eyes flashing sadly. Alexis said nothing, though he nodded to cover the fact he was wiping his tears away.

"I'm sorry to put you through this after what you have already suffered, but you can understand my concern," Dumbledore said when Alexis looked up. "I do, sir." But that didn't make it any less painful. "I would also like you to come to me immediately if anyone is bullying you," the Headmaster said, catching Alexis by surprise. Even more surprising, was the look of regret on his wise face.

"No one deserves to be treated the way you have been treated and I am sorry nothing was done sooner." Alexis shrugged, feeling slightly uncomfortable by the apology. "It's all right sir, really, I'm used to it," he said. The Headmaster sighed heavily and rubbed the bridge of his crooked nose. "And that, Alexander is a very cruel tragedy," he said sadly.

For several long moments, an uncomfortable silence hung between them then Dumbledore smiled warmly. "Well, I daresay I've kept you long enough and you'd probably like to get to lunch," Dumbledore said kindly as he sat once more behind his desk. "Yes sir, thank you, sir," Alexis said as he got to his feet and slung his bag once more over his shoulder. "Goodbye, Alexander." "Goodbye, Professor," Alexis said before closing the door behind him.

He was halfway down to the Great Hall when he remembered he still needed to complete the potions assignment. Sighing heavily, Alexis turned around and headed back down towards the dungeon. He wondered what he had done in his past life to deserve this.

* * *

As the days passed, Alexis began drawing further and further into himself. Save for the time he spent in class, nearly all of Alexis's time was spent with his father. He had taken refuge in his dad's quarters and avoided the common room, Gryffindor tower and even the Great Hall at all costs, choosing instead to grab a quick bite in the kitchens. Most people, Alexis noticed were also doing everything in their power to avoid him in turn, skirting around him in the corridors and whispering behind their hands as he passed but Alexis also found that he didn't much care anymore. If his dad hadn't been teaching this year, he would have been completely alone.

For the first time in as long as Alexis could remember, his father was not encouraging him to interact with his fellow students. If anything, he seemed grateful that Alexis was choosing to stay nearby. In truth, if Alexis hadn't done so willingly, his dad probably would have insisted he do so. His dad could be a tad over protective sometimes. And at the moment, Alexis had never been more grateful.

Thanks to his self imposed exile, Alexis had plenty of time to think about his father. And to worry about him. He also found that he was thinking more about his past and revisiting his earliest memories. Whenever Alexis seemed close to remembering what it was he had forgotten, it slipped away. It was something to do with a dog, a massive black one like the one that lived on the grounds.

But as far as he could remember they'd never had a dog. And this was what Alexis was thinking about as he lay stretched out on the braided rug in front of the fire in his father's quarters while Remus graded tests. Maybe it had belonged to one of his parents' friends or Cassie's even. Alexis could barely remember the Potters but knew from his father's pictures that Mrs. Potter had a cat, a massive ginger long hair.

He remembered Peter Pettigrew even less, the strange, rat-like little man that in pictures always looked shifty and nervous. Alexis frowned slightly; he'd always wondered where Pettigrew fit with his parents and James Potter. He just seemed so. . .so different from them. Still, Alexis supposed there was something he just couldn't see. After all, the four of them were friends for almost ten years.

Did Pettigrew have a dog? Alexis had no idea as he didn't have really any memories of the fourth Marauder. The only friend of Cassie's he could remember was Dylan Moody, who had a grey cat named Eric and a white dog named Casper. That was definitely not the black dog from his dream. Maybe that was it; maybe it was just a dream.

He held up his pendant and let it catch the afternoon firelight as he turned it from side to side. The wolf and the dog. Cassie gave it to him when he got his Hogwarts letter. She'd had it engraved with images. The wolf was obvious but why the dog?

Then he thought about Doggy, the stuffed dog he'd had ever since he was a baby. It was a shaggy black dog whose fur was now patched in places that even now sat on his nightstand at home. "Is there something about the ceiling that you find particularly interesting?" his dad asked with a touch of amusement in his voice. Alexis turned his head slightly and found his father smiling at him. "I'm just admiring the old world craftsmanship."

Remus chuckled and shook his head as Alexis smiled. "If you don't mind my asking, what are you doing?" he asked, setting the final test aside. Alexis shrugged and pushed himself into a sitting position. "Just thinking," he said simply. As if it was nothing important when it was so very important.

Remus's smile was a bit too understanding as he got to his feet and crossed the room where Alexis was, sitting down beside him on the floor. For several long moments they simply sat in silence. "You know it won't always be like this," Remus said, turning to look at Alexis. "I know dad," he said, turning his head so that their eyes met. When grey found amber, Alexis was struck by the desperate sadness on his father's scarred face.

Remus reached out and lightly brushed the ugly yellowish green bruise on Alexis's cheek with his fingertips. Alexis didn't so much as wince. It never hurt when his father touched his injuries because no one knew what it was like to hurt more than Remus Lupin. "I'd feel it all for you in second if I could, endure it all so didn't have to," he said softly. Alexis felt an overwhelming surge of love for his father.

He reached out with his uninjured hand and lightly brushed his dad's cheek with his own fingertips. The scars felt rough and jagged beneath his fingers. His father tensed slightly, he always did whenever Alexis touched his scars. "Deal, you be Sirius Black's son and I'll be the werewolf," Alexis said with a smile. His dad laughed and shook his head though his eyes twinkled with amusement.

Remus then reached out and folded Alexis into his arms and held him close. Alexis flung his own arms around his father's neck and hugged the lycanthrope tight. He loved his dad more than everything else in the world and vehemently wished he could hold Sirius like this. Alexis also knew that deep down his dad wanted the same thing. Maybe this whole thing with the dog was all just a coincidence.

_There are no coincidences. . ._

.


	28. Chapter 27: Remembering

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Remembering 

"Was I named after him?" "Who?" Alexis turned the book he was flipping through so his dad could see the page was he was reading. "Alex Sanders, was I named after him?" Alexis asked, tapping the page. Remus chuckled slightly and shook his head.

"No, I can't see Sirius doing something like that. Cassie maybe, but not Sirius," Remus said with a smile as he looked up from the massive stack of essays he was grading. It was a beautiful day as if the passing of Beltane had commanded summer to come at last. The entire school was gathered outside to take advantage of the perfect day. Everyone that is except Remus Lupin and Alexis Black.

It was the Quidditch Final. Gryffindor was playing Slytherin. The entire school was down on the pitch watching them. Remus was grading essays. Alexis was reading Remus's books.

"He liked the lime light didn't he?" Alexis said, glancing back down at the glossy page bearing Sanders's picture." "Yes, I suppose he did," Remus said distractedly, setting a freshly graded aside. "Sanders's was a controversial figure." Alexis nodded, trying not to glance in the direction of a particularly loud cheer. "Cassie lights a candle for him on April twentieth and one for Crowley on December first," Alexis said.

"Yes, yes, she does." "Why?" His dad glanced up once more, frowning slightly in thought. "Well, they were both very knowledgeable figures. Controversial yes, but very important," he explained. "I think Cassie wants to honor that." "I think she feels sorry for them," Alexis said.

Remus smiled faintly, "I wouldn't argue with that, Cassie, in spite of what she says, is a very empathetic person." Remus's smile widened as he regarded his son. "So are you and so was Sirius, I have a theory that empathy is a recessive Black family trait," he said lightly. Alexis smiled faintly and shook his head. "Anyone who thinks that I'm the weird one has clearly never had a conversation with you," Alexis said and Remus laughed.

"You know," Alexis said after another ear splitting cheer, "you could go down and watch Harry play. I wouldn't mind." Remus set down his ragged quill and looked across the room at Alexis. "I'd rather stay here with you. I'm not a big Quidditch fan," Remus said. Alexis regarded his father in mock weariness. "You worry too much."

"Yes, well, I'm a parent, that's my job." Alexis laughed and closed the book with a snap. "Well you're very good at your job," Alexis said, climbing to his feet and putting the book back on the shelf. Rather than taking down another book, Alexis brought down one of the seven red leather bound photo albums. They were nearly as thick as _Hogwarts: A History_ and just as heavy.

Alexis chose the fourth album; its leather was creaked with age and returned to the armchair near the window. Smiling faintly, Alexis stared down at his parents and their friend. It seemed they never stopped laughing. The Marauders' graduation. Lily and James Potter's wedding.

There was a single photo of Remus mother Mary's wedding to her second husband David Rice. Remus and Cassie were sitting at a small circular table holding two delicate wine goblets in a toast. Cassie was in a black dress and Remus wasn't smiling. He never talked about his parents. Alexis never asked.

In each photo of the Order of the Phoenix there were less people. There were no photos of Emma Riordan, Alexis's mother. The first picture of Alexis showed a tiny creature, barely bigger than a doll inside an incubator nearly obscured by wires and tubes. Looking at himself, Alexis wondered how he survived at all. Sirius was sitting beside the incubator looking as if he hadn't slept or eaten in days though he was smiling down at his newborn son.

As Alexis looked at the pictures of his younger self, he tried to recall those early days. He had so few memories of his father. The flat he could remember. It was never quiet, the traffic outside never stopped. He could remember being in Sirius's arms, feeling the cool leather of his jacket as his father held him up to the window and showed him the city below.

Half way through the album, Alexis came to a picture of him and his father playing in the garden behind their flat. One moment they were playing with a red ball, and then in the blink of an eye, Alexis was laughing and petting a dog. A great bear like black dog. It felt as if all the air had been sucked out of the room. Alexis's head was spinning.

"Dad was an animagus," Alexis said in a low, hushed voice. Remus's ink bottle slipped from his fingers and smashed on the desk. When Alexis finally managed to tear his gaze away from the page he saw all the color had drained from his father's scarred face. Alexis imagined he looked just as pale. "Was he?" Alexis whispered.

A part of him still refused to accept this, even with the photograph in his hand. He wasn't going to believe it until his dad said it. "Yes," Remus said softly after several moments of stunned silence. "How? Why? When? Why didn't you tell me?" Alexis stammered, getting to his feet and coming to sit in front of his father's desk before his shaking legs gave out. A flick of Remus's wand cleaned up the spilled ink and repaired the bottle in spite of his shaking hand.

For the longest time, Remus simply sat in silence, his pale face suddenly very sad. And in that moment Alexis understood. "He did it for you, didn't he?" Alexis said softly. "He couldn't be with you as a person but as a dog--" "He was safe," Remus finished, a faint smile on his lips.

"It took them the better part of three years to do it but finally in our fifth year they managed it. They could each become a different animal at will," Remus explained. "They?" said Alexis, astounded. Remus nodded, running a hand through his graying hair. "Peter and James become Animagi as well," he went on albeit reluctantly. "James was a stag and Peter was a rat."

For several moments all Alexis could do was stare at his father in shock, struggling to comprehend what he had just heard. It was all so unbelievable. And so bloody brilliant. "Cassie," Alexis burst out suddenly. "Does Cassie know?"

"She does now but she didn't find out until our sixth year, her third," Remus said with a faint smile. "Needless to say she wasn't thrilled with us taking such a risk but in the end she decided the ends justified the means." Remus sighed, brushing the hair from his tired amber eyes. "The thought still haunts me. I could've slipped away and bitten someone or attacked one of them and believe me there were many near misses. That's why I never told you, why I pleaded with Cassie not to say anything I'm sorry I didn't tell you, it was wrong to keep it from you but the idea of you taking such a risk was too much to bear," Remus said heavily. "We were young, thoughtless—caught up in our own foolish cleverness. I didn't want you to repeat our mistakes."

He looked weary and so much older than his thirty-four years. "But I always managed to forget my guilt as we planned next month's adventure," Remus snapped, his voice filled with self-disgust. "But they kept me sane, your father especially. My body was wolfish but my mind was, well, less when they were with me," Remus said heavily. "Because you loved him?" Alexis offered softly.

Remus nodded a faint smiling on his lips. "And he became an animagus because he loved you," Alexis said softly, the realization weighing heavily on his mind. Remus's smiled widened and softened all at once. He reached across the desk and took Alexis's thin hand in his rough calloused one. "It was the second greatest thing your father ever did for me," Remus said softly.

"What was the first?" Alexis asked. Remus gripped the teenager's hand slightly, smiling lovingly. "You, he gave me you," he said simply. Alexis smiled and squeezed Remus's hand surprised how calm he seemed given the clamor going on in his head. His father was here.

He had been here all along. Hiding in plain sight.


	29. Chapter 28: The Choices We Make

Chapter Twenty-Eight: The Choices We Make 

Remus bolted upright in the darkness, his heart pounding. There were tears on his scarred face, mingling with the sweat. With a shaking hand he wiped his ashen face with his frayed pajama sleeve. It was just past three a.m. He could still feel Sirius beside him.

It had taken Remus years to learn to sleep without him. Sighing heavily, Remus pushed the blankets aside and got to his feet. There was no way he would be getting to sleep anytime soon. Thankfully tomorrow was the last day of exams. He hoped his third years liked the obstacle course he had planned for them.

Still, as much as Remus loved being back at Hogwarts, he was looking forward to being back home. Home. Even after Sirius ran away from Grimmauld Place, the idea of leaving London was unthinkable. London was home. Cassie was the same way and it seemed Alexis would take after his father in that respect.

For Remus however, London was home because Sirius was there. After Hogwarts, living with Sirius in that cramped little flat was the first home Remus had ever had. And it was where he'd been the happiest. Remus rested his forehead against the cool windowpane and stared out at the moonlit grounds. Even now, back at Hogwarts, he still couldn't get his mind off Sirius.

Guilt like no other washed over Remus whenever he thought of Sirius, his best friend and lover. Knowing he still loved a murderer. But there was still a part of him that refused to accept Sirius was in fact a murderer. How could the man he loved so much do something so terrible? Had Sirius ever really loved him?

_**Strong arms encircled his scarred neck and pulled him close. Sirius's silken raven hair tickled his cheek and smelled of shampoo and cigarettes. "I love you," Sirius whispered in his ear. "I love you so much."**_Yes, yes, Sirius had loved him; Remus could hear it in his voice every time he said it.

How could he just let that love go? That friendship? There was a time, however, in their sixth year when Remus thought that friendship was over. After the incident with Snape and the willow, Remus had been so angry, so broken hearted that he didn't speak to Sirius for two months. Of all the Marauders he had always been closest to Sirius and his betrayal had hurt like nothing else.

But Sirius had refused to let their friendship die without a fight and took to following Remus around like a puppy, begging for forgiveness. Remus had been too angry to listen and one evening, enraged, he hit Sirius across the face as hard as he could, screaming at him to shut up and leave him alone. The second he did it, Remus would have given anything to take it back and even all these years later he still felt terrible guilt at the memory of his actions. Remus had braced himself for Sirius's anger, to be struck in return because he deserved nothing less. But nothing could have prepared him for what happened next.

There was no anger on Sirius's face nor was there shock, just a mixture of sorrow and guilt. Sirius closed the gap between them and looped his trembling arms around Remus's scarred neck, weeping into the Lycan's shoulder as if he didn't know how to do it properly, and apologizing frantically and begging forgiveness. Remus had never seen Sirius cry, not once in all the years they had known each other and the sight broke his heart. But it also showed Remus that truly sorry for what he had done.

He would think about his mistake, regret it for the rest of his life. The love Remus had for his friend overcame the anger he was feeling. In the end, the choice was simple. _**"Shh, it's all right," Remus hushed, closing his arms around the stricken boy. He ran his fingers through the animagus's silken raven hair.**_

"_**I forgive you."**_ Remus may have forgiven him but Sirius never forgave himself for what he had done. Years later, after they'd left Hogwarts and even after they'd gotten together, there were nights when Sirius would jerk awake in the darkness, haunted by nightmares of what he had done. _**"I'm sorry," Sirius would whisper brokenly, drawing Remus into his arms and holding him close. "I'm so sorry."**_

"_**Shh, it's all right," Remus would sooth, hugging Sirius close. "I forgive you."**_ Remus loved him, had loved him from the moment they met. And Remus would have given anything to have Sirius with him now, to be able to hold him in his arms. Love wasn't like a switch you could turn off at anytime you wanted.

Neither was trust. Remus trusted Sirius. It wasn't rational; it was heart speaking louder than mind. He had always unequivocally trusted and loved Sirius. Nothing had changed since then.

In the end, the choice was simple.

* * *

After her brother was arrested, someone asked Cassie how she slept at night knowing that monster was her flesh and blood. Cassie had replied the same way she would reply each time she was asked the question in the twelve years since that first inquiry. "I don't." And that was the truth; Cassie hadn't slept through the night in over a decade. When she'd been hospitalized in December of 1981, the Muggle doctors gave her pills for insomnia.

Cassie dumped the whole bottle down the drain without ever taking a single pill. And so, every night, just before dawn, Cassie got out of bed and sat cross-legged in front of the altar in her living room. She sat that there and thought about the spirits. When she was younger, they seemed a nameless benevolent force floating over her. But over the years, they had taken more familiar forms: Gideon and Fabian, Marlene and her husband Michael, Edgar, Uncle Alphard, classmates from both sides of the war, Peter, Benjy, Caradoc, Dorcas, Lily and James, Caprica and of course Regulus.

Regulus was only eighteen years old. Lily and James and been twenty-one. Caprica had been just twenty-four. Sirius would be thirty-four on Litha. _Help me,_ Cassie prayed. _Goddess please help_.

For twelve agonizing years Cassie felt as if she were living on burrowed time. And now it felt as if that time was running out. _I can't lose Sirius; please he's all I have left._ It was then, out of the corner of her eye that she saw Salazar and frowned slightly. What on earth was that cat doing?

The massive white cat was crouched down low, pawing at something beneath the television stand. Was it a mouse? Gods knew it would be the first time; the bloody building had been here since the Second World War. Sighing, Cassie got slowly to her feet only to sit on the floor once more where the cat was. Salazar stared up at her and mewed, blinking his mismatched blue and yellow eyes.

Smiling faintly and shaking her head, Cassie leaned down to see what he was so fixated on. It was no mouse. Puzzled, she withdrew her wand and pointing it beneath the television stand. "Accio paper!" The badly wrinkled paper zipped into her waiting hand.

It was an old copy of the Daily Prophet that must have fallen back there when Cassie was cleaning. She could vaguely recall Alexis showing it to her last summer. Summer, Gods that seemed like a lifetime ago. But why had he shown it to her in the first place? Oh yes, she remembered now.

It was something about a classmate's father that had won the Scoops Grand Prize. . . .


	30. Chapter 29: Reunited

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Reunited 

As the wheel turned towards Litha, the days became cloudless and balmy. Alexis would have liked nothing more than to flop down on the grass with his sketchbook and some iced pumpkin juice. Unfortunately, he and the rest of the student body were trapped inside trying to force their brains to study for their upcoming exams. Each year at around this time, Alexis was filled with mingled relief and happiness: soon he would be going home. This year all he felt was worry.

The idea of leaving his father here was unthinkable. Especially with a Ministry official arriving on the sixth for Buckbeak's hearing, Several times Alexis considered writing Cassie but fear that the letter might fall into the wrong hands stopped him. And every time Alexis tried to tell his dad the words died in his throat. He couldn't tell, Remus not yet, not until he was sure.

All that mattered was keeping his father safe. But he hadn't _seen_ his father in weeks. Alexis had been sneaking out of the castle during meal times to frantically search the grounds for his father but to no avail. Still there had been no sightings in the Daily Prophet and that was always good news. So for now all Alexis could do was wait.

* * *

Alexis never could understand why people got so stressed out exam time. Exams were exams and didn't change much from year to year. O.W.L.s, and N.E., those were the things to worry about. Compared to them, exams were a cake walk. Not that Alexis would ever be stupid enough to tell Hermione Granger that as she had taken to flying off the handle when asked for a quill. Their first exam, Transfiguration, was simple enough: turn a teapot into a tortoise. Alexis thought he did pretty well since his tortoise didn't breathe stream. During the Charms exam after lunch, Alexis had to partner with Flitwick though he thought he did well. Next came the Ancient Runes exam. Though it was a rather lengthy exam, Alexis was sure he'd done all right. Three exams down, four to go.

The Potions exam took place the afternoon following a fairly straightforward Herbology exam. Now that his broken wrist had healed, Alexis was easily able to prepare a Confusing Concoction. Snape swept past without a word, a sure sign he had done well. At midnight, they had Astronomy up on the North Tower. The stars Regulus, Cassiopeia and Sirius shown brightly above.

On Wednesday morning, Alexis quickly wrote down everything Cassie had ever said about witch hunts for his boring as always History of Magic exam. He was suddenly very glad she liked ranting and raving about the Burning Times so much. His father's exam was easily the most fun. Grateful to be out of the stifling classrooms and outside getting some much needed fresh air, Alexis navigated the obstacle course without much trouble. Until he climbed into the trunk with the boggart.

Boggarts were never easy which was why he was so grateful he'd never had to face one in class. "Riddikulus!" Alexis cried. The prison door opened and his father was free. "Well done Alexis, full marks," Remus said as he emerged from the trunk.

"Thanks Professor," Alexis said cheerfully, shooting Remus a covet smile. Remus returned the smile briefly before shifting his gaze once more to the obstacle course. As he had no friends to wait for and it would look strange if he hovered around his father, Alexis went to lean against a tree at the edge of the Forbidden Forest. A little while later, Alexis felt something cold and wet nudge his hand. He glanced down and found the dog looking up at him.

Alexis stood rooted to the spot for several moments, his eyes fixed on the distracted class and the mercifully empty grounds. He barely realized what he was doing until he slipped through the thicket of trees and into the cool shade of the forest with the dog at his heels. Once Alexis was sure they were out of sight and well out of ear shot, he paused at the base of a massive oak. "Dad?" Alexis said softly, his heart pounding painfully against his ribs. The dog seemed to go very still.

"I know it's you." In the blink of an eye there stood a man exactly where the battered dog had been. And nothing could have prepared Alexis for the sight of him. Sirius was thin, on the brink of being emaciated. His shallow, paper skin was little more than rice paper covering bones and his raven hair hung in a matted, tangled mess down to his elbows.

But what jarred Alexis the most were his eyes. Whereas before they used to shine with mischief and warmth, now they were hallow and filled with a desperate sadness. Alexis wanted to run at him and throw his arms around his father, but he hesitated, unsure of how Sirius might react. Sirius stood as if petrified, staring at Alexis in disbelief and shock. Then suddenly, Sirius hurried forward, nearly tripping on his own feet as he did so.

Sirius came to a halt in front of Alexis and gently cupped the teenager's face in his shaking skeletal hands. He seemed to need to touch Alexis, to confirm that he was real. With shaking hands, Sirius gently touched Alexis's face and smoothed his hair back. Behind the caution in his wide grey eyes was hope mingled with love. "I missed you so much," Sirius said softly, his eyes welling with tears.

His voice was horse and weak as if he had just recovered from losing it and in a way he had. Azkaban took away a person's voice in a very different and terrible way. How long had it been since he had spoken to another person? Alexis felt tears burn in his own eyes but found he didn't care. "I missed you too dad," he said quietly, his voice just above a whisper.

A mingled cry of joy and sob tore itself from Sirius's throat and he yanked Alexis into his arms, holding him as tight as he could. Alexis threw his own arms around his father and held on just as tight, though startled at how thin he was. Sirius was crying, Alexis realized a second later when he felt hot tears falling onto his hair. Alexis didn't even register that he too was crying, truthfully, neither of them cared. He clung to his father, crying softly into his shirtfront. "I'm sorry, Alexis, I'm so sorry," Sirius whispered, running his fingers through the teenager's soft hair as he cried.

"I didn't mean for this to happen, Gods, I'm so sorry! Please don't hate me, I'm so sorry." "I don't hate you," Alexis said quickly, startled at the sorrow and fear in his father's stricken voice. Sirius truly thought Alexis might hate him. He couldn't have been more wrong. Alexis tightened his slender arms around his father's fragile frame.

"I could never hate you. I missed you so much," Alexis said, tears still pouring down his face. "My life it's felt like a part of me was missing." A choked sob of relief tore from Sirius's throat and he tightened his hold on the boy. He was holding him so tight it was a wonder he hadn't bruised him. Alexis was here, he had him back.

After all these years, Sirius had him back and he was never going to let him go. Finally, reluctantly, father and son drew apart. "What are you doing here?" Alexis said urgently. "Watching over my family," Sirius croaked, gesturing to where Harry had emerged from the trunk as Remus smiled. "And looking for Peter," he spat viciously, his eyes darkening menacingly.

In that moment Sirius looked very much like the murderer he was believed to be. "Peter? Who's Peter?" Alexis asked in confusion. "Peter Pettigrew," Sirius spat the name like a curse. Alexis stared up at his father in a mixture of shock and concern. "Dad," Alexis said carefully, "Pettigrew's dead, he died thirteen years ago."

Sirius's wasted face broke into a rather bloodthirsty grin as he reached a trembling hand into his ragged grey prison robes. "Peter is as alive as you and I," Sirius said, pressing a shabby newspaper clipping into Alexis's hand. It was the picture of Ron's family in Egypt from the Daily Prophet he had shown Cassie last summer. Alexis stared at his dad with frank and open concern; perhaps Azkaban had unhinged him after all. "There," Sirius said, jabbing a bony finger at clipping, "on that boy's shoulder."

Alexis looked closer at picture of a beaming Ron Weasley. Scabbers was perched on Ron's shoulder. _"Peter and James became Animagi as well_." _James was a stag and Peter was a rat._ Peter was a rat.

"How?" Alexis choked through his shock. How did he survive? How do you know it's him? "I transformed beside that bastard a thousand times, I'd know him anywhere," Sirius said darkly. "He's dead—Well, I mean he's dead now," Alexis stammered, "a cat ate him."

Sirius shot his son a rather twisted smile and shook his head. "He's alive," he said simply. And although he had no reason to do so and every instinct he had was screaming otherwise, Alexis believed his father. "Is he still on the grounds?" Alexis asked. The relief that washed over Sirius's skeletal face was visible as he nodded frantically.

"He is, I'm sure of it," Sirius said with the utmost certainty. His haunted, sorrow filled eyes softened as he regarded his son. "And you can't be here for this, it's too dangerous," his dad said urgently, glancing around the deserted patch of forest as if he were worried about them being overheard. Alexis opened his mouth to protest but his dad cut him off. "No Alexis," Sirius said softly but in a tone that left no room for argument as he laid his frail hands on his son's shoulders.

Sirius's grey graze met Alexis's beseechingly. "It's too dangerous and I'd never forgive myself if something happened to you." His cracked lips curved into a weak albeit loving smile. "I love you too much to let you put yourself in that kind of danger for me. I'm not worth that," he said softly.

"Yes you are," Alexis protested, startled and saddened his father would actually think such a thing. "You're my--" "In your eyes," his dad cut him off gently. "I'm older love, I know better. So please," Sirius said pleadingly, cupping Alexis's face in his shaking hands, "go back to the castle and stay there until this is over and done with." Alexis opened his mouth to argue, to plead only to close it a second later.

Growing up with Cassie one learned to pick their battles. And this was not a battle he was going to win. "All right," Alexis conceded reluctantly. "But you've got to be careful, there's a Ministry official here for Hagrid's hearing. Stay out of sight until they're gone." A brief look of terror crossed his father's once handsome features at the mention of the Ministry but faded to relief a second later at the realization Alexis had promised to return to the castle.

"So you'll stay until it's over and done with?" Alexis nodded rather grudgingly. "Thank you," Sirius said softly, gratefully as he pulled his son into his arms once more and hugged him close. Alexis wrapped his arms around his father once more and hugged him close. Sirius felt so thin, so fragile. "I love you, I love you more than anything," his dad said when they slowly drew apart.

"Don't ever forget that." Alexis nodded, "I love you too dad," he said softly. His father was smiling though his sunken grey eyes were red and watery. "If—if for some reason I can't, t—tell Remus and Cassie that in—in spite of all this I love them so much," Sirius said, his voice was surprisingly calm and even but his eyes were soft and pleading. "You can tell them yourself," Alexis assured him.

His father smiled though his eyes were anything but hopeful. With one final glance at his father, Alexis stepped out of the darkness of the forest and into the sun. He glanced over his shoulder just in time to see a large dark shape vanish into the depths of the forest. Yes, growing up with Cassie Black taught one to pick their battles. However, you also learned that losing the battle did not mean you lost the war.

* * *

Although it was June, evenings at Hogwarts were still cool and pleasant. Nights here were so different than nights in the city. Everything was darker here and there was stillness to this place, a silence the city did not have. During his first year it had taken Alexis weeks to get used to the silent nights. Truthfully, he much preferred the sounds of the city.

Leaning back against the rough bark of an ancient elm, Alexis turned his graze towards the inky blue heavens stretched out like an ocean above him. The stars were just starting to come out. You couldn't see stars like this in the city. Alexis had been sitting at the base of the tree since he finished his Divination exam and his legs had become numb with cold and staying in a fixed position for so long but he didn't dare move. Under the cover of the gathering darkness he was well hidden but if he moved it might arouse suspicion of the Ministry officials near Hagrid's hut.

From his chosen vantage point, Alexis could see the Whomping Willow looking deceptively harmless, branches swaying in the faint breeze. The willow had been planted just before his parents started school. His dad told him people used to play a game to see how close they could get to the tree until a third year (or maybe a forth year) nearly lost an eye and the tree was declared out of bounds. Alexis remembered what the tree had done to Harry's broom and shuddered to think what it could do to a person of provoked. Beneath the fierce tree was a secret tunnel to the Shrieking Shack.

His father used to transform there when he was at school. Alexis had seen the house up close when he went to Hogsmead just before Yule and the ramshackle, boarded up house was nothing short of depressing. The inside was probably so much worse. Alexis couldn't imagine how horrible it was to be locked up alone in that awful place, scared and in unimaginable pain. It must have been a godsend for his father to finally have his friends with him.

"Scabbers—NO!" Alexis leapt to his feet and whirled around just in time to see the ginger blur that was Ron Weasley sprinting through the darkness. Harry and Hermione were in hot pursuit, a cloak streaming behind them like a flag. And there on the ground, barely visible in the darkness and frantically trying to elude Crookshanks was Scabbers. Peter Pettigrew was back from the dead.

Throwing caution (not to mention common sense) to the wayside, Alexis sprinted from the forest and into the darkness. At last the trio had come to a halt with Ron sprawled on the ground, the struggling rat clasped in his hands. Directly in the shadow of the Whomping Willow. Alexis opened his mouth to call out to them, to warn them just as a pale-eyed, jet black dog bounded towards the shell shocked trio. Alexis watched in horror as his dad seized Ron's arm in his massive jaws, pulling him like a limpet towards the willow itself.

And it was then that the monstrous tree awoke, its deadly branches moving as if caught in a tornado. Crackling it branches like knuckles, the tree took aim at Harry and Hermione. There was always a choice: to fly or to fight. And as Alexis gripped his wand and took off towards the tree, he chose the latter.


	31. Chapter 30: In the Shrieking Shack

Chapter Thirty: In the Shrieking Shack 

CRACK! A lethal branch went flying through the darkness like a massive bullwhip. Alexis saw flashing spots as he went crashing to the ground. Still reeling from the blow, Alexis staggered to his feet as he frantically mopped the blood from his eyes. His father was dragging a furiously struggling Ron towards a large gap in the roots.

A gap Alexis knew would lead to the tunnel that would take them to the Shrieking Shack. Alexis hurried forward, trying desperately to make it through the storm of vicious branches. Only Ron's legs were visible. A heavy branch whipped violently through the air and sent him slamming to the ground just as a sickening crack rang out. Alexis knew that sound.

It was the sound of bones breaking. Grasping his badly bleeding shoulder, Alexis clambered to his feet just as Ron's now broken leg vanished from sight. Hermione was screaming as blood streamed from her arm. Harry was frantically struggling forward only to be sent back by the deadly limbs. Alexis was closest to the gap, less than a meter away.

As the willow reared for another attack, Alexis dashed forward. His heart was pounded like a fox chasing a rabbit and the pain for the injuries caused by the tree was a distant memory. None of it mattered. All that mattered was reaching his father. He didn't even hear Harry and Hermione call out to him.

He never looked back. Alexis clambered into the gap and slide down the earthy slope, landing rather unceremoniously at the bottom of a low tunnel. Swearing softly, Alexis got to his feet as he groped in the darkness for his wand. His fingers closed around it just he staggered to his feet. "Lumos!"

His right knee was scarped and bloody, the palm of the hand he had fallen on was an ugly mess of scraped skin, grit and dirt. Alexis didn't even feel it. Holding his wand in front of him like a torch, Alexis set off at a run bent-backed through the low tunnel. Gods, how did his father stand this? The tunnel seemed to go on forever.

The smell of damp earth reminded Alexis of a graveyard. His breath was coming in short, painful gasps and it felt as if there was something sharp lodged between his ribs. Alexis refused to even pause for breath. All he knew or cared about getting to his father. Nothing else mattered but reaching him.

And then, at long last, the tunnel began to rise. Alexis's aching back muscles cried out with relief when he straightened fully. A dim patch of light just up ahead cut through the darkness like a knife. And suddenly Alexis found himself gazing up a hastily closed trap door. It only took one shove to get it open.

With strength Alexis didn't know he had, he heaved himself through the trap door and into a derelict room with peeling wallpaper and boarded windows. Every piece of furniture was smashed to bits as if someone had taken an axe to it. "Oh dad," Alexis said softly, his breathing heavy and uneven. He was in the Shrieking Shack. A terrified scream rang through the house.

Alexis looked up at the ceiling where the scream had come from. They were up stairs. Without a moment's hesitation, Alexis took off into the hall and up a crumbling staircase. Finally, he reached a dark landing. And there, at the end of the hall, was the only open door.

* * *

Remus was just about to make his final sojourn to the dungeons when he paused to check the map. It had become a habit of his ever since he had taken the map from Harry. He had written Cassie when he confiscated the map from Harry, saying how funny it was that the map had returned to him. Her response had been merely: _Everything happens for a reason_. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

The words fell easily from his lips, even all these years later.

As the lines appeared as if drawn by an invisible hand, Remus felt his heart stop. There they were six dots gathered in the topmost bedroom for the Shrieking Shack. _Sirius Black, Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Alexander Black, Ronald Weasley, and Peter Pettigrew._ And Peter Pettigrew.

For several long moments all Remus could do was stare down at the worn parchment in shock. Peter was alive. It was as if time had slowed to a halt. The sound of his own heart pounding reached Remus's ears. It was suddenly very hard for him to breath. For the longest time he simply stood there, frozen in shock.

_**"Do you have to go?" Sirius asked again, looping his arms around Remus's scarred neck. The leather of his jacket felt cool against Remus's skin. He loved the feel of it. The two of them were in the small kitchenette while Cassie and Alexis were in the living room playing with his new toys. It had been a simple birthday tea but the two-year-old seemed to have enjoyed it immensely. Sirius had been asking him the same question ever since Remus had told him of his mission. **_

_**"Sorry love, but we both know I do," Remus chastised gently, slipping his arms around Sirius's waist and pulling his lover close. Leaving was the last thing Remus wanted to do. All he wanted to do was stay home with his family and have a quiet Samhain celebration. But he was the only Order member who could successfully infiltrate the packs. Sirius sighed and leaned down so that their foreheads touched. **_

_**"I know," he said heavily, his startling grey eyes filled with worry. Smiling reassuringly, Remus leaned up and captured Sirius's soft lips in a brief kiss. Gods, he loved him so much. "I've got something to tell you, something important," Sirius whispered when they drew apart. "What?"**_

_**Sirius shook his head, running his fingers through Remus's hair. Remus closed his eyes and relaxed into the gentle touch. "Later, when you get back," Sirius said. "This isn't something you can just hear and run." Remus stared up at his lover in a mixture of surprise and concern at the uncharacteristic seriousness in his voice.**_

"_**Sirius, what are you--" But the Animagus shook his head and pressed his lips against Remus's once more. "Later, when you get back, I promise," Sirius murmured against his lips.**_ It was the last time they kissed.

And in the end, the choice was simple.

* * *

"Get out of the way!" Harry shouted at Ron and Hermione. They didn't need telling twice. Hermione retrieved the wands that had been lost in the fray as Ron crawled to the bed sporting a black eye from the skirmish and collapsed, his colorless face tinged with green as he gritted his teeth in pain and clasped his smarting leg. Sirius was sprawled at the bottom of the wall, his thin chest rising and falling rapidly. Alexis was slumped on the floor nearby, his split lip bleeding copiously onto his shirt and a massive bruise throbbing on his cheek courtesy of the tussle, his wand clasped in Hermione's shaking hand.

Harry closed the gap between him and his godfather, wand pointed straight at Sirius's hart. Sirius gazed up at him, his haunted eyes sad and regretful. "Going to kill me, Harry?" he whispered. His left eye was bruised and his nose was bleeding.

"You killed my parents," Harry choked. His voice was shaking but his wand was quiet steady. "He didn't kill them!" Alexis shouted pleadingly. "You don't know the whole story!" Harry rounded on Alexis though he kept his wand on Sirius, his eyes blazing as furiously as they had been when he and Hermione burst into the room and found Alexis with his father.

"He sold them to Voldemort. He killed them. That's the only story I need to know!" Harry spat furiously. _Point the wand at me,_ Alexis pleaded silently. _Please point it at me._ "I don't deny it," Sirius said quickly, "but if you don't listen to me you'll regret it." There was a note of urgency in his voice, desperation.

"You never heard her did you?" Harry whispered tightly. His wavering voice was growing shakier by the moment. "My mum. . .trying to stop Voldemort from killing me. . ." His voice broke and it took a moment for him to regain control. _That's what he hears when the Dementors come near him,_ Alexis realized, _no wonder he fell off his broom._

Alexis's heart went out to Harry in that moment. No one deserved to hear something like that. "And you did that. . .you did it," he said in a strangled voice, his eyes over bright. Sirius paled further, his eyes filled with unbelievable agony. _What do you hear?_ Alexis wondered sadly.

What did his father have to hear everyday, every night for twelve years? Alexis looked into his father's eyes; eyes so like his own and saw the depths of his father's sorrow. Moving faster than he ever had before, Alexis rushed to his feet and stepped between his father and Harry. "Get out of the way Alexis!" Harry ordered, looking at his fellow Gryffindor with the same hatred as when he looked at Sirius. Alexis shook his head, his eyes never leaving Harry's face.

"If you want to kill him you'll have to kill me too," he said simply. Alexis had never had a single friend but he had a family he loved more than anything. A family he would die for. "Alexis move! Please get out of the way!" Sirius pleaded. Alexis stood his ground.

"Move!" Harry snapped. "No," Alexis said softly. Both Ron and Hermione were quite silent. Even Crookshanks seemed to have gone very still. "Let him go," Sirius said, speaking to Harry.

"Please, he hasn't done anything!" Sirius was pleading now, frantic. Alexis could see the surprise on Harry's face at Sirius's words. _You see!_ Alexis wanted to scream. _He cares about what's going to happen to me! He would he give a damn about me if he was a murderer!_

Time stretched on at a snail's pace. No one moved and no one spoke. Harry still hadn't done it. Alexis felt a spark of hope rising in his chest. He couldn't do it, no matter how angry he was or how much he hated them, Harry was no killer.

And suddenly the silence was shattered by the sound of footsteps echoing down stairs. "WE'RE UP HERE!" Hermione shouted. "SIRIUS BLACK—QUICK!!" Harry gripped his wand convulsively. Alexis wondered if his father was praying too. Remus burst into the room, his wands at the ready.

Alexis could have cried with relief. Remus took a quick glance around the room until his eyes landed on the three of them. Somehow the Daily Prophet had never managed to capture the horror of what Azkaban had done to Sirius. He was wasted and frail, his eyes hollow and pained. But a more beautiful sight Remus had never seen.

"EXPELLIARMUS!" Remus shouted. He caught the four wands deftly then tossed Alexis's back to him. Sirius was staring helpless up at him, his eyes remorseful and pleading. And in those ghostly eyes, Remus could see the Sirius he knew. The Sirius he loved.

"Where is he Sirius?" Remus asked, struggling to keep the emotion from his voice. A dim ember of hope flickered in Sirius's eyes. Wordlessly, he pointed toward the bed where Peter was clasped Ron Weasley's scratched and bleeding hands. Remus shifted his gaze back to Sirius, trying to hear his unspoken words. "But then. . .why hasn't he shown himself before now?" he muttered.

Amber at long last found grey. "—Unless he was the one. . .unless you switched without telling me?" And suddenly Remus understood. It was so simple, so brilliant.

Sirius's eyes filled with shame and the deepest regret though they seemed powerless to leave Remus's scarred face. Seemingly unable to speak, Sirius gave a short, almost pained nod. In that moment everything faded away, all the years of pain and confusion disappeared. Alexis moved aside as Remus closed the gap between them after all this time. Remus held out a very shaky hand to Sirius, who after a moment's hesitation took it in his own.

His hand was little more than frail bones covered by a thin layer of papery skin. It only took a simple tug to pull Sirius from the floor and into the safety of his arms. Remus could feel Sirius's frantic heartbeat against his own. He felt so small, so breakable in the Lycan's arms. Remus kept him pressed close, trying frantically to make up for what they had lost.

Remus could feel Sirius trembling and longed to kiss him, to reassure him that everything was all right. He moved to do so when Hermione suddenly shouted, "I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!" Only then did he remember that they were not alone. Reluctantly, Remus released his lover, his best friend. Hermione raised herself off the floor and was staring wide-eyed at Remus.

Alexis moved closer to his parents, keeping his wand drawn. "Hermione--" "—you and him!" "Hermione calm down!" Remus shouted urgently, "I can explain--" "I didn't tell anyone!" Hermione shrieked as if Remus hadn't spoken.

"I've been covering for you!" Alexis felt the bottom drop out of his stomach. She knew. "Shut up Hermione!" Alexis shouted. "No! I should have told everyone what I knew an—and so should've you!" she fired back.

"He hasn't done anything! He's never hurt anyone!" Alexis yelled desperately. "I trusted you!" Harry roared at Remus. "And all this time you've been his friend!" Alexis swung around and pointed his wand straight at Harry. "Will both of you just shut up! He hasn't done anything!" Alexis bellowed.

"Listen to me, please!" Remus shouted over him. "I haven't been Sirius's friend for twelve years but I am now," Remus said in a voice of forced calm. "Please, just let me explain--" "NO!" Hermione screeched, turning her wild gaze on Harry. "Harry, don't trust him! He's been helping Black into the castle, he wants you dead too--"

"Hermione please don't!" Alexis begged but it was too late.

"He's a werewolf!"


	32. Chapter 31: Secrets Revealed

Chapter Thirty-One: Secrets Revealed 

A pin could have been heard dropping in the silence that followed Hermione's words. The faint creaking of the ancient house seemed to be magnified ten-fold. Everyone seemed frozen in place. All eyes were fixed on Remus, who was as pale as death albeit remarkably calm. "Not at all up to your usual standards Hermione," he said lightly.

"Only one out of three, I'm afraid. I have not been helping Sirius into the castle and I certainly don't want Harry dead. . ." Remus sighed heavily and ran a hand, looking as if he were carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. Alexis wanted so badly to reach out to him, to protect him and he could tell Sirius did as well. "But I don't deny that I am a werewolf," he said heavily. Ron struggled to get to his feet but fell back onto the bed with a cry of pain.

Remus moved to go to his student, looking concerned. Ron gasped and scrambled away. "Get away from me, werewolf!" A sudden wave of anger washed over Alexis. "He just wants to help you!" he snapped.

Remus stopped dead and with an obvious effort turned back to Hermione. "How long have you known?" "Ages, since I did Professor Snape's essay," Hermione whispered. _Note to self, kill Snape,_ Alexis though viciously. "He'll be delighted," Remus said coolly though his eyes were quite sad.

"He assigned that essay hoping somebody would realize what my symptoms meant. . .Did you check the lunar and realize that I was always ill at the full moon? Or did you realize the boggart turned into the full moon when it saw me?" "Both," she whispered, suddenly fascinated with the dusty floor. Remus forced a rather stiff, pained laugh. "You're the cleverest witch of your age I've ever met Hermione," he said, actually sounding a bit proud. "I'm not," Hermione said softly, at last rising her eyes to meet her professor's, "If I'd have been cleverer I would have told everyone what you are."

"But the already know," Remus said. "At least the staff does." "Dumbledore hired you when he knew you were a werewolf?" Ron gasped, looking positively scandalized. "Is he mad?" He rounded suddenly on Alexis though the movement seemed to cause him a great deal of pain, pointing an accusing finger at him.

"And—and you knew! You knew and you never said anything! Are you out of your mind?!" Ron shouted. "Of course I didn't say anything! He's not a danger to anyone!" Alexis shot back. "YOU WERE WRONG! DUMBLEDORE WAS WRONG!" Harry yelled suddenly, his fierce gaze now fixed on Remus. "YOU'VE BEEN HELPING HIM THIS WHOLE TIME!" He pointed over at an obviously distraught Sirius who had sunk onto the four poster bed, hiding his face stricken face in his frail hands. Ron gave a terrified squeak and edged away.

Remus gazed at Sirius in concern before turning his gaze reluctantly back to Harry. He and Alexis shared a momentary gaze. Alexis quickly moved to his father's side, taking his thin hand in his own. Sirius smiled weakly over at his son, awkwardly draping an arm around his shoulders. "Everything is going to be okay," Alexis said softly.

"I have not been helping Sirius. If you give me a chance, I'll explain. Here look--" Remus said, separating the trio's wands and throwing them back to their respective owners. "There," he said, putting his own wand into his belt and motioning for Alexis to do the same. Alexis reluctantly put his wand back into his pocket. "There, you're armed and we're not. Now will you please listen?" After many back and forth glances between the golden trio, Harry said, "If you haven't been helping him how did you know he was here?"

"The Marauder's Map. I was in my office examining it," Remus said. Alexis looked up in surprise. "The Marauder's Map, as in your map? Didn't you say Flitch took it from you towards the end of your seventh year?" he asked in confusion. How many times had his father told him that story? Harry stared at Alexis in utter bewilderment before looking at Remus once more, "What does he mean your map? Fred and George gave it to me."

Remus smiled slightly, "Before it was their map, it was ours," he said, gesturing between himself and Sirius. "We created it: I'm Moony and Sirius is Padfoot." He turned his gaze to Harry, his smile widening exponentially. "And your father, Harry, was Prongs." "My father helped write--" Harry stammered.

Remus nodded, still smiling softly. "We always planned to pass the map onto Sirius's younger sister Cassie but just as I told Alexis Mr. Flitch confiscated it from us one night just before the end of our seventh year," Remus explained. "I think he suspected what he had but had absolutely no idea how to work it, which was very fortunate otherwise I would've never known any of you were here." He started pacing back and forth, little puffs of dust rising up in his wake. "I assume the three of you used the Invisibility Cloak to come down to see Hagrid--"

"You know about the cloak?" Harry asked suspiciously. Ron and Hermione exchanged shocked glances. Alexis, however, was simply and utterly floored. He stared at Harry in complete shock. "You have an Invisibility Cloak?" Alexis asked incredulously.

No wonder those three were able to sneak about the castle so bloody easily! "The number of times I saw James disappear beneath it. . . but the point is the map shows no lies. Even if you're wearing an Invisibility Cloak or a disguise you will show up on the map," Remus said. "I couldn't believe it when I saw the six of you in this room." Remus had stopped pacing, his amber gaze fixed on Ron. "What? No, there was only five of us," Harry protested.

"No Harry, there was six of you. I could barely believe it myself but there he was," Remus said, his eyes never leaving Ron. "You're wrong! It was just the three of us and those two!" Harry shouted, pointing furiously at Sirius and Alexis. And suddenly Alexis understood. His dad knew. He had seen Pettigrew on the map.

"I saw the two of you right there on the bed--" "One of us, I was the only one on the bed," Ron corrected, looking mildly alarmed. "No Ron, two of you," Remus said as he approached the bed. "Can I please have a look at that rat?" Ron clasped his hands protectively over his quivering pocket.

"W—what does Scabbers have to do with this?" he asked worriedly. "Everything," Remus said softly. "Can I see him please?" Alexis climbed off the bed, ready to back his father up if necessary. Hesitantly, Ron reached into his pocket and withdrew Scabbers who was squeaking and trying frantically to escape.

Remus leaned forward, gazing intently at the struggling rat. "Is that him?" Alexis breathed, his voice barely above a whisper. Remus gave Alexis the smallest of nods, his gaze still fixed on Scabbers. "What's my rat got to do with this?" Ron repeated a little more desperately this time. "That's not a rat," Sirius croaked suddenly.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione stared at Sirius in a mixture of shock and confusion. "Of course he's a rat!" Ron said incredulously. "No," Remus whispered, slowly straightening. "He's not, he's a wizard." "He's an animagus," Sirius said darkly, "by the name of Peter Pettigrew."


	33. Chapter 32: Old Wounds Reopened

Chapter Thirty-Two: Old Wounds Reopened 

The silence following Sirius's words was heavy and absolute. No one made a sound. Finally, Ron broke the silence. "You're all mental!" he shouted. "Pettigrew's dead! He killed him twelve years ago!" Harry said, pointing furiously at Sirius whose expression had darkened.

"I meant to," he hissed, his teeth bared menacingly. "But little Peter got the best of me but not this time!" And with that Sirius lunged forward to grab the rat. Ron yowled in pain as Sirius's slight weight fell on his broken leg and Remus rushed forward, seizing Sirius around the chest and pulled him away from the bed. "Sirius, NO!" Remus shouted.

"You can't just do it like that! They need to understand—we've got to explain!" Sirius was struggling as frantically as Scabbers. "We can explain afterwards!" he snapped, trying to break Remus's grip. "They've—got—a—right—to—know—everything!" Remus panted, struggling to hold his friend in place. "Ron's kept him as a pet all these years! There are parts even I don't understand! And Harry! You owe Harry the truth Sirius! Alexis!" Remus said desperately, waving a hand in Alexis's direction.

"Do you know what he's endured being your son?! You owe him an explanation!" At last Sirius went very still in Remus's arms, his eyes fixed on his son. "All right," he said reluctantly, "but make it quick, Remus. I want to commit the murder I was imprisoned for." Slowly and just as reluctantly, Remus at last released his hold on Sirius. "You're nutters, the lot of you," Ron muttered, looking to Harry and Hermione for support.

"I've had enough of this. I'm off." Ron made to heave himself off the bed and Alexis had his wand out a second later. "No, you're going to shut up and hear them out or I'm going to hex you so bad your own mother won't be able to identify you!" Alexis hissed warningly. Ron went quite pale and lowered himself immediately back onto the bed. "You're just as crazy as they are!" Harry yelled at Alexis.

"There was a whole street full of witnesses that saw Pettigrew die," he said. "They didn't see what they thought they saw!" Sirius said fiercely. "Everyone thought Sirius killed Peter but as I said the map never lies. Peter is very much alive and Ron is holding him," Remus said. "But he can't be," Hermione interjected. "We did Animagi with Professor McGonagall remember? I looked up the list the Ministry uses to keep tabs on everyone who can become animals. There have only been seven Animagi this century and Pettigrew's name is not on the list," she said reasonably.

While Alexis marveled at the effort Hermione put into her homework, Remus chuckled. "Right again, Hermione," he said with a small smile. "But the Ministry never knew that once upon a time there were three unregistered Animagi running around Hogwarts." "Get on with it Remus!" Sirius snarled, keeping his eyes fixed on the struggling rat. "I've waited twelve years and I won't wait much longer!"

Alexis reached out and laid a comforting hand Sirius's arm. "All right, but you'll have to help me, Sirius," Remus said gently, "I only know how to begin. . ." Remus broke off at the sound of a loud creak just over his shoulder. The door had opened on its own accord. Six pairs of eyes were glued on the door.

Alexis crossed the room and looked out into the landing, keeping his wand drawn. It was empty. "There's no one there," he told Remus who looked as bothered by that as Alexis was. "This place is haunted!" Ron choked out fearfully. "No, it's not," Remus said distractedly, still looking at the door in puzzlement.

Alexis too was growing increasingly concerned. Doors didn't just open by themselves. . . "The Shrieking Shack was never haunted . . . the screams and howls the villiagers used to hear were made by me," he said heavily. Remus sighed, brushing the graying hair from his tired eyes. "And that is really how all this began. I received my bite when I was very small boy. My parents did what they could but of course there is no cure," he continued.

"The potion that Professor Snape has been making for me is a very recent discovery. It makes me safe as long as I take it in the week prior to the full moon enabling me to keep my mind when I transform. I am able to curl up in my office, a harmless wolf until the moon wanes." Sirius at last tore his eyes from Scabbers. He gazed at Remus in hopeful relief. Remus smiled softly at him and nodded in confirmation. "But before the Wolfsbane Potion was discovered three years ago I became a full fledged monster once a month--"

"You're not a monster!" Alexis interrupted. Remus smiled faintly at his son's aggravation. "Not in your eyes but as the majority of people do not share Alexis's opinion, it seemed unlikely I would ever be able to attend Hogwarts as parents would not want their children exposed to me but Dumbledore was sympathetic and saw no reason I wouldn't be able to attend so long as precautions were taken," Remus explained. "So this house, the tunnel, the willow, all of it was made so you could attend Hogwarts?" Hermione said in a stunned voice and Remus nodded. _He's getting through to her,_ Alexis realized with a jolt of happiness.

"But apart from my transformations, I was happier here than I had ever been," he said with a nostalgic smile. "For the first time in my life I had friends, four amazing friends: Sirius Black, James Potter, Peter Pettigrew, and Sirius's younger sister Cassie when she came along in our fourth year." Alexis saw his father's eyes soften at the mention of his sister. Remus had started pacing again, telling them about his fear of being discovered, the lies he had told, his friend's surprising devotion and loyalty and finally of their becoming Animagi. "But I don't understand, how did that help you?" Hermione asked in puzzlement.

"A werewolf is only a danger to humans," Alexis said as all eyes shifted to him. "As animals, they were safe." Remus nodded as attention returned once more to him. "Alexis is absolutely correct, they kept me sane, my body was still wolfish but my mind was less so when they were with me. Peter, being the smallest was able to slip beneath the branches and press the knot," Remus continued. Lightly fingering the copiously bleeding cut on the side of his head, Alexis realized just brilliant that idea was.

"Sirius and James transformed into such large animals that were able to keep me check." "What sort of animal--" Harry started to ask but Hermione cut him off. "That was still really dangerous!" she admonished shrilly. "You could have given them the slip and bitten someone!" In that moment Alexis realized why they had never told Cassie about becoming Animagi.

Her reaction would have been ten times worse. "The thought still haunts me," Remus said regretfully. "And believe me, there were many near misses, we laughed about them afterwards. We were young, thoughtless." Remus sighed again, looking solemn and weary. "I sometimes felt guilty about betraying Dumbledore's trust when he admitted me to the school when no one else would have and I repaid that kindness, that trust by leading three fellow students, my friends to becoming Animagi illegally but I always managed to forget my guilt when we planned our next adventure."

Remus shook his head, his scarred face filled with guilt and self-disgust. "And I haven't changed. I never told Dumbledore about Sirius being an animagus, I never told anyone, not even after he broke into the castle. Why? Because it would have meant admitting I'd betrayed Dumbledore's trust when he allowed me to Hogwarts as a boy and latter offered me a job when I have been shunned my whole adult life. . .so, in a way, Snape was right about me all along." Sirius's head jerked up at Remus's words. "Snape?" he croaked. "What's he got to do with this?"

"He teaches here too," Alexis explained. Remus nodded in confirmation before looking back at the trio. "Professor Snape was at school with us and he—er, didn't like us very much," Remus explained. "Needless to say he fought very hard against my appointment." Remus sighed heavily once more, shooting Sirius a sympathetic look.

"And he certainly had his reasons," Remus said heavily. "That wasn't your fault!" Sirius burst out suddenly, looking stricken. "It was mine! I'm the one who told him . . .you had nothing to do with it!" Alexis looked from one of his fathers to other in complete confusion and utter concern. What the hell were they talking about?

Remus too was looking at Sirius worriedly. "Snape was obsessed with where Remus went every month," Sirius said, his voice weaker than ever. "Sirius, you don't--" Remus tried to interrupt but Sirius spoke over him. "Nasty little git! Always nosing around, trying to get the lot of us expelled," he said viciously, though his eyes were filled shame and sorrow. "So—so I told him to meet me in the shack for a duel--"

Sirius's voice wavered and shook. Alexis felt the bottom drop out of his stomach. Oh Gods, what had he done? "Sirius," Remus said, softer this time, gentle and pleading but Sirius continued. "I—I never thought he'd go through with it, I thought he'd hear all the shrieking and turn back--"

Sirius took a very shaky breath before he went on, his eyes suddenly overly bright. "But he didn't," Sirius whispered. His haunted gaze took in the miserable room. "If James hadn't found out, if he hadn't come, they would have been killed." "They?" Hermione whispered in horror.

Sirius looked over at Alexis, silently pleading. "I didn't know she went with him. I didn't know until I went looking for her and Regulus told me she went with him," Sirius whispered hoarsely. Alexis felt the blood drain from his face. "Cassie, Cassie was with him," he said softly. Hermione gasped, voicing the shock Alexis was feeling.

"They were friends at school," Remus said quietly, his eyes still fixed on Sirius, "she always tried to keep the peace between him and us, which was why she went with him, to try and stop the duel." Sirius gave a short, jerky nod, "James and I pulled them back in time but—but they'd already seen Remus," Sirius said, trembling slightly. "I never meant. . .I love Cassie and I would have never. . ." Sirius's voice broke and he looked away. And that was all the proof Alexis needed. "I know," Alexis said softly, meaningfully.

_I don't hate you. It was a stupid mistake and I know you'd never hurt anyone, especially Cassie. You're not a bad person._ "So that's why Snape doesn't like you," Harry said slowly, turning back to Remus. "Because he thought you were in on it?

Remus nodded, though he only had eyes for Sirius. "That's right," a voice said just over Alexis's shoulder. He spun around just as Snape pulled what was no doubt Harry's Invisibility Cloak over his head.

* * *

"Remus!"

Cassie came dashing through the floo so quickly that she lost her already unsteady balance and crashed hard onto the hearth rug. Traveling by fireplace had never agreed with her, especially after she injured her knee. Swearing loudly, Cassie took hold of her walking stick and staggered unsteadily to her feet. "Remus, Sirius is innocent, it was Peter--" Cassie paused and glanced around the silent office.

Empty. Cassie sighed and ran a hand over her braid. Great. Just bloody great. How in the hell was she supposed to find him?

The castle was massive, it would take ages to search for Remus and she didn't even know where to begin. And that was when she saw it open on Remus's desk. The map. The legendary Marauders' Map. There it was, just like it had always been in her childhood.

"Everything happens for a reason," she said softly, pulling the map across the polished surface towards her.


	34. Chapter 33: Brothers and Sisters

Chapter Thirty-Three: Brothers and Sisters 

Hermione screamed as Sirius leapt to his feet. "I found this at the base of the Whomping Willow," Snape sneered, letting the cloak fall to the dusty floor. "Very useful Potter, I thank you." Snape slowly entered the room with his wand at the ready and his cold eyes glittering with triumphant malice. "I came to bring the werewolf his potion when the mutt didn't show up and what should I see on his desk but a certain map," Snape hissed.

Alexis gripped his wand all the tighter. "Severus--" Remus began only to be cut off rather viciously. "To think Dumbledore thought you were harmless Lupin, a tame werewolf." Snape advanced on Remus. "But I know better," Snape said through clenched teeth, "I knew you were hiding Black, helping him."

"Severus, you're making a grave mistake," Remus said urgently. "Sirius is no murderer, please, let me explain--" "Perhaps they'll let the two of you share a cell," Snape hissed, his eyes glowing with barely contained excitement. Alexis felt a surge of anger and terror. He would never let the Dementors take them.

"You fool," Remus said quietly, disgustedly. "Is a schoolboy grudge worth sending an innocent man back to Azkaban?" Apparently it was. BANG! Alexis watched in horror as thin, serpent like cords shot from Snape's wand and wrapped around Remus's mouth, wrists, and ankles.

He swayed once and crashed to the floor. Alexis dropped to his knees beside him and moved to untie his father. Snape pointed his wand at him a moment later. "Don't you dare move, Black," he ordered. Sirius gave a roar of rage and lunged towards the potion's master only to have a wand thrust between his eyes.

"Give me a reason," Snape breathed. "I'll do it, I swear I will." Alexis's heart was pounding frantically, his breathing heavy and uneven. He moved to raise his wand— Sirius caught his gaze and shook his head frantically.

_Don't do anything, not yet,_ Sirius seemed to be pleading silently. Alexis gave a covert nod and tucked his wand out of sight. "Joke's on you Snivellus," Sirius snarled, "so long as that boy brings his rat up to the castle I'll come quietly." "Up to the castle? Why Black we won't need to go that far," Snape said silkily. "I'm sure the Dementors would be more than willing to make a house call, they might even have a kiss for the werewolf."

That was it. Alexis wasn't going to wait one more bloody second. While Snape got into a shouting match with Harry, Alexis raised his wand— BANG! The old wood door went flying off its hinges and crashed to the floor.

Everyone's head snapped towards the doorway just Cassie appeared. Alexis laughed aloud with relief. "Cassie?" Sirius and Snape said in unison while Ron shouted, "Bloody hell!" Harry and Hermione looked to be thinking the same thing. Apparently, Cassie had had some trouble getting past the willow as she was looking a bit worse for wear: her jeans were torn and covered in grass stains; there was a large cut on her arm and a massive scrape on her cheek.

Alexis had never been so happy to see her in his life. As she limped rather heavily into the room, Cassie's piercing sapphire gaze swept over the sight before her. "You know," she said lightly, tucking her wand back into her back jean pocket, "I can honestly say this isn't the strangest thing I've ever walked in on." Eight pairs of eyes watched her every movement. "There's no need for that," Cassie said, motioning to Harry, Ron, and Hermione who had also drawn their wands.

Apparently they too were ready to hex Snape. "Well go on then, put those away," she said when they hesitated. Harry shared a meaningful look with Hermione who gave a faint nod and lowered her wand. The two boys hesitantly followed suit. "You too darling," Cassie said, addressing Alexis though her eyes were fixed on Sirius and Snape.

"What are you doing here Cassie?" Snape demanded, wand still pointed firmly at Sirius. "I've come to help my brother, that's what sister's do," she said simply. _What?_ "Help him with what?" Snape asked suspiciously. "She's here to help them kill Harry!" Ron burst out suddenly.

Alexis rolled his eyes in annoyance. Gods, did those three ever let up? "Now why on earth would I want to do something like that?" Cassie asked lightly. "He's never done anything to me as far as I know so why would I want to kill him?" Ron opened his mouth to respond but Snape cut him off.

"SILENCE WEASLEY!" Snape bellowed and Ron's mouth immediately snapped shut. He then fixed his cold gaze once more on Cassie. "Help him with what?" he repeated. "I'm here to help him find Peter Pettigrew." "Pettigrew?" Snape asked incredulously, "Pettigrew is dead Cassie. Black—your brother killed him twelve years ago!" "That's what we've been trying to bloody tell you!" Alexis shouted.

"Pettigrew is alive! He's right there!" he yelled, pointing furiously at the rodent clasped in Ron's hand. Snape's gaze flickered to the struggling rat, widening in shock. "That's a rat Black!" he hissed at Alexis. "No Severus," Cassie said taking a step forward, "that's Peter Pettigrew." And that was when Snape lost what little control he was clinging to.

"HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND?!" Snape roared and Alexis wasn't sure which of them he was addressing. "That is a rat, Cassie! A rat!" Cassie simply shook her head, moving ever closer to the potion's master. "He's an animagus, Severus," she said calmly. "They all were: James, Peter, and Sirius."

Cassie was right beside him now. Snape muttered what sounded like "impossible" and "ridiculous" under his breath. "No, it's not. Think about it; how else could they have gotten passed the willow, remember how much trouble we had?" she said in a calm, reasonable voice. "How else could they have gone with Remus, stayed with him without being ripped to pieces? Known as much as they did about the grounds to write the map in the first place? There's no other explanation, Severus, not really." Alexis's heart skipped a beat.

She was getting through to him! "He's a murderer!" Snape snapped, jabbing his wand rather viciously at Sirius. "He proved that at fifteen when he nearly killed us both!" Alexis had never seen Snape so angry, his teeth were bared and he was actually shaking. It was truly a frightening sight.

"That's not true, Severus and you know it," Cassie said, a note of desperation in her voice. Snape however seemed unwavering. "He came to get us," she said quickly, "as soon he realized what he had done he came to get us." _Please listen to her,_ Alexis prayed. _She was your friend once that has to count for something! _

"You don't trust him, I understand that," Cassie said when Snape said nothing. "I'm not asking you to trust him; I'm asking you to trust me, to give us a chance to explain. Please, Severus," she said softly, inching her hand forward to close her thin fingers around his wrist. And then, with her hand on his wrist and his eyes fixed on her, Snape lowered his hand. Alexis breathed for the first time and scrambled to untie his dad. "Thank you," Cassie said softly gratefully.

She then rushed forward and yanked her brother into her arms, embracing him for the first time in thirteen years. Sirius clasped Cassie to him desperately, so different from the tentative way he had embraced Remus. "I'm sorry Cassie, I'm so sorry," he whispered hoarsely. "Don't you ever apologize to me for any of this, not ever," Cassie said softly but firmly. The two siblings broke apart just as Alexis freed Remus from his bonds.

Sirius seized hold of Remus's hand and pulled the werewolf to his feet, rubbing his arms where the ropes had cut into them. "I'm all right," Remus reassured him, reaching down and pulling Alexis to his feet. "Come off it!" Harry burst out suddenly, looking wildly from Sirius to Remus to Cassie to Alexis and finally to Snape. "You can't honestly believe them; they're out of their minds!" "Give us Peter and we'll give you all the proof you want!" Sirius hissed, advancing on the four-poster.

Ron clutched Scabbers tightly to his chest. "You—you can't honestly be saying he broke out of Azkaban just to get his hands on Scabbers?" he said reasonably, looking at Harry and Hermione for support. "I mean . . . okay, say Pettigrew could turn into a rat—there are millions of rats—how's he supposed to know which one he's after if he's been locked up in Azkaban?" All eyes shifted once more to Sirius. "That's a fair question, Black?" Snape said through clenched teeth, gripping his wand tightly.

Sirius reached a bent hand into his robes as Cassie reached into her back pocket. While Sirius showed his ragged clipping to Remus, Harry, Ron, and Hermione, Cassie unfolded her neatly cut one to show Snape. "Where did you get this?" Remus asked in quiet awe, staring down at the picture of Ron and his family. "Fudge, when he came to Azkaban last summer he gave me his paper," Sirius explained. When Remus looked to Cassie, she smiled slightly.

"I knocked it under the telly stand and I didn't see it until my mad cat tried to get it back out last night," she said, looking from Remus to a visibly stunned Snape. "And there was Peter," Sirius and Cassie said in unison. "I knew him the minute I saw him. How many times did I see him transform?" Sirius said. "And the caption said the boy was going back to Hogwarts . . . to where Alexis was. . .where Harry was. . ." "My God," Snape breathed.

Alexis stared at the photo for several long moments. At Scabbers. Specifically, at his front paw. "His finger," Alexis said suddenly. "What?" Ron said puzzlement.

"You're rat, he's missing a toe," Alexis clarified. "So what?" "The biggest bit they found of Peter was his finger," Remus said softly. Alexis looked over at Sirius. "He cut it off?"

Sirius nodded silently. "Just before he transformed. When I cornered him, the bastard yelled for the whole street to hear how I betrayed Lily and James. Then before I could curse him, he blew apart the street with the wand behind his back," Sirius said heavily. "He killed everyone within twenty feet of him and sped down the sewer with the other rats." A heavy silence followed Sirius's story. Even the trio was at last silent.

Sirius glanced down at Crookshanks who was currently rubbing against Cassie's legs. "And this cat knew I was no dog and that Peter was no rat," Sirius explained, much to everyone's shock. "He tried to help me, to bring Peter to me but he couldn't. He even brought me the passwords to Gryffindor Tower but Peter got wind of it somehow and fled," Sirius said, eyeing the rat darkly. "Well, faking his own death worked once didn't it?" It was so simple, so brilliant.

"AND NOW YOU'VE COME TO FINISH HIM OFF!" Harry shouted. Alexis could have strangled him. "Yes, I have," Sirius said malevolently. "Harry don't you see?" Remus said urgently. "All this time we've—well, everyone but Cassie thought Sirius betrayed your mother and father, and Peter tracked him down—but it was the other way around. Peter betrayed your parents and Sirius tracked him down-"

"THAT'S NOT TRUE! HE WAS THEIR SECRET-KEEPER!" Harry shouted at the top of his lungs, pointing an accusing finger at Sirius. "HE SAID SO BEFORE ALL OF YOU TURNED UP! HE SAID HE KILLED THEM!" "THAT'S NOT WHAT HE SAID!" Alexis yelled just as loudly. He started forward but Remus took hold of his arm and held him back. Sirius shook his head helplessly, his hallowed eyes suddenly overly bright.

"Harry, I as good as killed them," Sirius croaked, his voice sounding even hoarser than before. "I persuaded Lily and James to change to Peter at the last moment, to use him as their Secret-Keeper instead of me . . . I am to blame, I know it," Sirius choked, sounding utterly stricken. "You didn't know, there's no way you could've known!" Alexis protested but Sirius didn't seem to have heard him. "The night they died I went to check on Peter but he was gone with no sign of struggle. It wasn't right and—and I got worried," Sirius said softly. It took longer for him to regain control of his voice this time.

"I set out for your parents' house straightway. And—and when I saw their house was destroyed. . .and their bodies. . ." Alexis saw Cassie looked away, her eyes bright with unshed tears. She had gone there the night they died. Snape laid a hand on her thin shoulder. "I realized what Peter had done, what I'd done. . ." Sirius said in an agonized whisper.

His voice broke and he looked away. Alexis at his side a moment later, holding him as tight as he could. Sirius clasped him close, his thin frame trembling with suppressed sobs. "Enough of this," Remus commanded, a steely note in his normally kind voice. "There's one certain why to prove what really happened. Ron, give me that rat!"

"W—what are you going to do to him if I give him to you?" Ron asked tensely. "Force him to show himself. If he is really a rat, it won't hurt him," Remus promised. At long last, after the briefest of hesitation, Ron handed over the rat. The moment Remus took the rat, it began squeaking loudly and struggling frantically. "Ready, Sirius?" Remus asked, keeping a firm hold on the rat.

Alexis pressed his wand into his father's hand. Sirius smiled gratefully and went to stand beside Remus, his tear filled eyes blazing. "Together?" he said softly. "Yes, I think so," Remus said grimly. Cassie took her place on the other side of Sirius.

"Let's do it," she said heavily. Remus nodded and extended the struggling rat in one hand, aiming his wand with the other. "On the count of three: One—two—THREE!" A flash of bluish white light erupted from the three wand tips. Scabbers flew from Remus's hand and froze in midair, twisting madly.

Ron shouted and Alexis momentarily looked away from the bright light as Scabbers landed on the floor with another bluish-white flash. A head sprouted upwards as limbs shot out from the writhing rat. It was like watching a film of a growing flower being shown in reverse. The sight was both terrible and fascinating. A man stood in the spot where Scabbers had fallen.

"Well, hello, Peter."


	35. Chapter 34: Of Mice and Men

Chapter Thirty-Four: Of Mice and Men 

"S—Sirius . . . R—Remus. . . ." Gods, he even sounded like a rat in addition to looking like one. Hell, his entire shifty, nervous behavior was rat-like. "My friends, my old friends. . ." His eyes darted from the boarded windows to the door which Snape had moved to block, his wand drawn and a look of disgust on his pallid, shocked face.

Sirius made to raise Alexis's wand but Remus quelled him with a look. Cassie's wand, however, was fixed on Pettigrew. The former rat kept glancing at the exits, becoming visibly more nervous by the second. "We've been having a little chat Peter, about the night Lily and James died," Remus said lightly, though his eyes had become quite hard. "You may have missed some of the finer points when you were squeaking pathetically there on the bed," Cassie said so viciously that Pettigrew actually recoiled.

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. "Remus," Pettigrew gasped, sweat breaking out on his pasty face. "You don't believe him do you? H—he tried to kill me, Remus. . ." "So we've heard." Remus said coldly. "We'd like to clear up one or two little matters with you, Peter, if you'd be so--" "He's come to and try and kill me again!" Pettigrew squealed desperately, pointing at Sirius with his middle finger because his index finger had been rather clumsily severed at the base.

"He killed Lily and James and now he's come to kill me too! I knew Azkaban couldn't hold him; I've been waiting twelve years! Pettigrew gasped. Alexis took his place beside Cassie. The place he belonged. "You must be the world's greatest Seer then because no one has ever broken out of Azkaban before," Alexis said darkly. "He's got dark powers you can't even imagine! You-Know-Who taught him a few tricks!" Pettigrew squeaked.

Sirius laughed; a horrible mirthless sound. "Voldemort teach me tricks?" he sneered and Pettigrew actually took a step back. "What, scared to hear your old master's name?" Cassie mocked. "I don't blame you, Peter. His lot isn't very happy with you, are they? On no, I heard them scream all sorts of things in their sleep. It seems the double-crosser double-crossed them," Sirius said darkly. "Ahh, I see, so Voldemort went to the Potter's on little Peter's information and met his downfall," Cassie said cruelly.

Pettigrew leapt back once more, gazing at the quartet in terror. "Right," Sirius sneered, "and they're not all in Azkaban are they? Imagine if they ever got wind he was alive. . ." "Don't know what you're talking about," Pettigrew panted, taking yet another step back. It didn't matter, not really, there was nowhere for him to go. Pettigrew mopped his pasty face on his sleeve and looked pleadingly up at Remus.

"You don't believe this—this madness do you Remus?" he asked rather shrilly. Remus regarded Pettigrew with a coldness that seemed to mask barely contained anger. "Well, considering I believed you to be dead for over a decade perhaps my judgment shouldn't be trusted," Remus said evenly. More color drained from Pettigrew's face. Truthfully it was a wonder he had any blood left.

He then turned his beady gaze on Cassie. "Cassie, Cassie, you're a rational woman, surely you don't believe--" "Do you remember when Regulus died, Peter?" Cassie said, gripping her wand so tight her knuckles had turned white. "Ever since I saw your picture in the paper, I've been thinking about what you said at that Order meeting after he died," she said tensely, "do you remember what you said?" Pettigrew shook his head mutely, his face shiny with sweat.

"You said, 'Well, if—if it happened t-to Regulus then no one's s—safe are they?' I didn't thing much of it then, I don't think I would've known what year it was if you'd asked me given the state I was in then but I remember now," she hissed, compulsively gripping her wand. "Cassie—Cassie--" "I remember how bloody terrified you were that someone like Regulus, someone so young, could die. Is that when realized it wasn't a game?" Cassie spat. "Is that when you decided to turn to save your own skin!" Pettigrew jumped back and nearly tripped. "I didn't . . . I would never. . ." he stammered pathetically.

"I—I'm innocent!" "I find it rather odd an innocent man would willingly spend thirteen years as a filthy rodent," Snape said silkily, eyeing Pettigrew with open disdain. _He believes us!_ Alexis realized as relief washed over him. "I—Innocent but scared!" Pettigrew shrieked, his eyes once again combing the exits. "I—I knew he'd come for me! And—and if not him than one of the Dark Lord's supporters because I sent their best man to Azkaban!"

Sirius started to raise the wand once more and this time Remus had to actually seize hold of his wasted wrist to stop him from going further. Instinctively, Alexis too reached out and took hold of the hem of Cassie's shirt. He doubted he'd really be able to stop her but Alexis at least had to try. If Cassie noticed his hold on her, she gave no sign. All that mattered was Pettigrew.

"Me, a spy for Voldemort? When did I ever hide behind friends that were stronger and more powerful than me?" Sirius growled. "Not like you! No, you always liked big friends who'd look after you. It used to be us . . . me and Remus . . .and James . . ." Pettigrew mumbled something incomprehensible, looking more terrified by the minute. "Lily and James only made you Secret-Keeper because I suggested it! It was the perfect bluff . . . Voldemort would surely go after me before he'd ever come after a weak, talent less thing like YOU!" Sirius yelled so viciously that Pettigrew actually recoiled.

"Excuse me?" Hermione interrupted nervously. "If—Scabbers—er, I mean, this man . . . he's been sleeping in Harry's dorm for three years. Why hasn't he tried to hurt Harry until now?" she pointed out reasonably. "Exactly!" Pettigrew gasped, "I would never hurt Harry! Why would I!" "I'll tell you why," Cassie said darkly. "This pathetic waste never did anything for anyone unless he could see something in it for himself. He wasn't about commit murder under Dumbledore's nose for a powerless wreck of a wizard. Oh no, he wanted to make sure Voldemort was the biggest bully on the playground before he slithered back," she sneered.

"Why else would he find a wizarding family to take him in? Keeping an ear out for news weren't you Peter? Waiting for the moment to go running back to your master?" All Pettigrew seemed to be able to do was stare at Cassie in mute horror. He seemed to have lost the ability to speak. "Excuse me," Hermione said timidly, "Er—Mr. Black—Sirius?" Sirius jumped at being addressed like that and stared at Hermione in a mixture of surprise and confusion.

Alexis could have laughed. Even in the presence of an accused murderer Hermione's politeness never failed. "If you don't mind my asking, how did you escape Azkaban without using dark magic?" she asked tentatively. "Thank you!" Pettigrew cried, "how else could he have--" Remus silenced him with a look.

Sirius frowned at Hermione but not as if he were angry at her, more like he was thinking rather hard. "I don't know how I did it," he said honestly. "I think the only reason I never lost my mind is because I knew I was innocent. That wasn't a happy feeling, so the Dementors couldn't suck it out of me," Sirius said slowly. "But it kept me sane and knowing who I was . . . helped me keep my powers so that when it—it became too much I could become a dog in my cell. . ." Sirius swallowed and took a deep breath, his bent hands trembling.

Cassie reached out and laced her thin fingers with her brother's. "Dementors can't see, they feel their way toward people by feeding off their emotions so when they felt my emotions become less complex, less human, they just assumed I was losing my mind like everyone else." Sirius smiled bitterly. "Believe me, it didn't trouble me," he said quietly. "I was too weak to be able to drive them away from me without a wand—but then I saw Peter in that picture. . .at Hogwarts with my son and Harry," Sirius went on, his voice becoming stronger, his grip on Cassie's hand becoming tighter as if he were taking strength from her.

"He was poised to strike, ready to deliver the last Potter and youngest Black to Voldemort's allies. If he gave them Harry, who'd dare say he betrayed Voldemort?" _He'd be welcome back with honors,_ Alexis thought bitterly. "So I had to do something, I was the only one who knew Peter was still alive . . . It became an obsession," he said quietly. "It wasn't a happy feeling but it gave me strength, cleared my head. And one night when they opened my door to bring in food, I slipped passed them as a dog . . . I was more than thin enough to slip through the bars . . . I swam to the mainland as a dog and traveled here, to Hogwarts. I've been living in the forest ever since, except when I came to watch the Quidditch." His gaze settled on Harry and Alexis. "You both fly so well," he said softly.

Sirius looked at Harry but this time Harry didn't look away. "Believe me, Harry," he croaked. "I would have never betrayed Lily and James, I would have died first." And finally, at long last, Harry nodded.


	36. Chapter 35:Acts of Mercy

Chapter Thirty-Five: Acts of Mercy 

"NO!" Pettigrew dropped to his knees like a man in prayer, shuffling forward towards Sirius. "Sirius—it's me . . . it's Peter . . . your friend . . . you wouldn't . . ." Sirius kicked out and Pettigrew immediately fell back, "There's enough filth on my robes without you touching them!" he spat.

"Remus!" Pettigrew squeaked, turning imploringly to Remus. "You can't believe this . . . wouldn't Sirius have told you if they changed the plan? Wouldn't he have told Cassie?" Remus looked at Sirius rather than at Pettigrew. "Not if he never got the chance," he said softly. Sirius smiled weakly at Remus, "Forgive me, Remus."

"You don't have anything to be sorry for." Sirius's faint smile widened oh so slightly. Pettigrew blanched and turned beseechingly to Cassie. "Cassie, Cassie, you're a good woman, a religious woman," he said pleadingly. "Surely you can forgive . . . AHH!" Cassie brought her wand down in a slashing motion and Pettigrew scrambled backwards clasping his hand which now bore a pain red welt . "The last time I checked, murder is mortal sin!" Pettigrew turned his gaze pleadingly to Snape. The potion's master never said a word; he simply raised his wand and pointed it straight at Pettigrew's heart. His face filled with disgust. "Shall we kill him together?" Sirius asked grimly, pushing up his ragged sleeves.

"Yes, I think so," Remus said bleakly. He too was pushing up his sleeves. Pettigrew gave a cry of terror and took his pleading to the horrified children. He scrambled first to Ron. "Ron . . . haven't I been a good pet . . . a good friend? You won't let them kill me, Ron, will you . . . you're on my side aren't you?" Pettigrew pleaded, clutching at his former master's leg.

Ron stared at his former pet in utter revulsion. "I let you sleep in my bed!" he said, wrenching his leg from Pettigrew's quivering grasp. "Sweet girl . . . clever girl," Pettigrew said, inching towards Hermione and seizing hold of the hem of her robe. "You—you won't let them . . . help me please!" Hermione yanked her robes from Pettigrew's hands and backed away, looking horrified.

Pettigrew turned on his knees and inched towards Harry. "Harry . . . Harry . . . you look just like your father . . . just like James," Pettigrew said desperately, "James would have shown me mercy. . ." Pale faced and appalled, Harry backed away. In a last ditch effort the man who was once a rat turned towards Alexis who took an unconscious step backwards. "Kind boy . . . clever boy . . . you can make them change their minds . . . you're such a kind boy . . . you wouldn't let them . . ." Alexis angrily shoved Pettigrew's hands away. The very sight of the man disgusted him. Sirius and Remus stepped forward, seized hold of their one time friend's shoulders and threw him to the dusty floor. Pettigrew lay in a pathetic, quivering ball. "You sold James and Lily to Voldemort," Sirius said, he too was shaking.

And with that, Pettigrew dissolved into tears. It was sickening. "Sirius, Sirius, what could I have done?" Pettigrew wailed pathetically. "He—he has weapons you can't even imagine . . . I was scared Sirius, I was never strong like you and Remus and Cassie and James. The Dark Lord forced me--" "Everyone has a choice," Alexis said darkly.

"DON'T LIE!" Sirius bellowed. "YOU WERE PASSING INFORMATION TO HIM FOR A YEAR BEFORE LILY AND JAMES DIED!" Pettigrew didn't bother to deny this, he only sobbed harder. "He was taking over everywhere!" he sobbed. "What was there to be gained by refusing him?"

"What was there to be gained?!" Cassie spat harshly, her beautiful face filled with cold fury. "ONLY INNOCENT LIVES!" Pettigrew moaned pathetically, tears streaming down his rat-like face. "What else could I have done?" He would have killed me!" Pettigrew wept. "THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE DIED!" Sirius shouted.

"DIED RATHER BETRAY YOUR FRIENDS, AS WE WOULD HAVE DONE FOR YOU!" Remus and Sirius raised their wands. Alexis felt his blood run cold. Pettigrew was going to die. Cassie seized hold of Alexis's arm and pulled him away, keeping her arm securely around him.

"You should have realized," Remus said softly, almost pityingly, "if Voldemort didn't kill you then we would. Goodbye, Peter." Alexis closed his eyes and looked away. "DON'T!" Alexis cried just as Harry stepped in front of Pettigrew. Sirius and Remus stared at them, looking absolutely staggered. "Harry, this piece of vermin is the reason you have no parents!" Sirius snarled.

"He would have watched you die without turning a hair. His pathetic life meant more to him than your whole family!" "I know," Harry said breathlessly. "We'll take him to the castle . . . He can go to Azkaban . . . but don't kill him." Alexis could have kissed him. "Harry! You—thank you—it's more than I deserve—thank you--" Pettigrew gasped, grasping Harry's knees.

"Get off me!" Harry spat, shoving Pettigrew's grubby hands away. "I didn't do it for you! I did it because I don't reckon my dad would have wanted them to become killers—just for you," Harry murmured. Alexis sighed aloud with relief. Snape was staring at Harry as if he'd never seen anything like him. Sirius turned him haunted gaze on his son.

"And you agree with this?" Sirius croaked. Alexis raised his gaze to meet his father's. Both of them. "You're not murderers," he said simply. Sirius raised his gaze from his son to his sister.

"Cass?" For the longest time, Cassie didn't say a word. The room was deathly quiet save for Pettigrew's whimpers. "All life," she began slowly, "is sacred." Sapphire found grey.

"And it is not our right to take it." Gods be praised. "He can go to Azkaban," Harry repeated. "If anyone deserves that place, he does." Sirius and Remus exchanged a look, then, with one movement, they lowered their wands and Alexis could've cried.

Thank you, Gods thank you! "Oh no you don't!" Apparently, Pettigrew had used their distraction as an opportunity to transform. Unfortunately, Snape was watching. Everyone spun around, wands raised.

BANG! This time a golden cage shot from the end of Snape's wand and trapped the rat. Alexis had never been so grateful for the potion master's presence. While he and the others looked positively floored, Cassie was smiling. Snape summoned the cage into his hands and shoved it rather viciously at a stunned Sirius.

"Sirius," Remus prompted. "Thanks," Sirius murmured. Snape simply sneered, eyes glittering with hatred. "You'll never be innocent in my eyes Black," he hissed. Alexis rolled his eyes, some things never changed.

"Severus, can't we just set aside our difference," Remus said rationally. Snape ignored him and instead spoke to Sirius. "You should thank your sister; she saved your worthless life!" Sirius smiled at Cassie over Snape's shoulder. "I know."

"Right," Remus said, suddenly very business like. He moved over to the four-poster but hesitated. Alexis saw the pain flash in his father's amber eyes. "Cassie, you should probably examine Ron's leg," he said, "he's got a nasty break." Cassie stared at Remus in confusion.

"But you can--" she paused, catching the look in his eyes. "Right," Cassie said slowly, moving to Ron's side. All Alexis felt was anger. Remus was worried Ron wouldn't want him to touch him because of his reaction earlier.

_"Get away from me werewolf!"_ Ron tensed slightly as Cassie bent over him. "A—Are you sure you know what you're doing?" he stammered as she ran her wand over his broken leg. "I've been patching people long before you were born," she said briskly. Ron still watched her with a look of unease as she straightened.

Still the murderer's sister. "Well, lucky for you it's a clean break," Cassie said, tapping Ron's broken leg sharply with her wand. Ron winced slightly only to stare up at Cassie in amazement a second later. Cassie held out her hand and pulled Ron easily to his feet. His leg was as good as new.

He stared up at Cassie in awe, "Thanks." She gave a curt nod and turned instead to Remus. "Does anyone else need patching up?" Remus cast a quick glance around the room and shook his head. "I think everyone should be all right until we reach the castle," he said, though his concerned gaze lingered on Sirius.

Cassie clapped her hands and said, "Wonderful, that was my medical assessment as well." Remus chuckled as Alexis rolled his eyes and shook his head in mock weariness. "Excuse me, sir," Ron said tentatively approaching Sirius, who looked rather stunned at being addressed in such a way. "D—do you think I could carry that?" he asked, nodded at the anti-transformation cage in Sirius's hands. Ron seemed to have taken Scabbers true identity as a personal insult.

After a moment's hesitation, Sirius nodded and handed the cage to Ron. "Well come on!" Snape barked, sweeping out of the room like a great bat. The rest of them followed close behind.


	37. Chapter 36: Light in the Darkness

Chapter Thirty-Six: Light in the Darkness 

Snape lead the way down the stairs with Cassie following close behind him, leaning rather heavily on her walking stick. Ron and Hermione went next, the cage held firmly in Ron's hands. Remus, Alexis, Sirius, and Harry brought up the rear. The strange group edged awkwardly through the tunnel in single file. Alexis was between his parents and Harry went after Sirius.

"Are you all right?" Alexis asked, watching his father's retreating back with concern. Remus looked over his shoulder at Alexis, smiling kindly. He looked happier than Alexis had seen him in ages. "I'm fine," he reassured his son. "I'm sorry," Alexis said softly, meaningfully.

_I'm sorry you got exposed. I'm sorry I couldn't do anything to protect you. You're not a monster in my eyes. I love you._ Thankfully, Remus smiled understandingly.

"You don't have anything to be sorry for," Remus assured him. Alexis longed to reach out to him, to embrace him but didn't dare with so many people around. Alexis felt thin, trembling fingers brush his scrapped hand. "You're not hurt badly are you?" Sirius asked when Alexis looked over his shoulder. His concerned grey eyes traveled over his son's various cuts and bruises.

Alexis started to say he'd had worse but stopped. His dad didn't need to hear that, not after what he had been through. "I'm all right," Alexis reassured him. Sirius kept hold of his son's hand, letting the teenager lead him through the tunnel. "You know what this means?" Sirius said to Harry as they inched along to tunnel.

"Turning Pettigrew in?" "You're free," Alexis heard Harry answer. Sirius paused then, gripping his son's hand compulsively. Just because Alexis had accepted him didn't mean Harry would. "Well, I don't know if anyone ever told you but—I'm, well, I'm you godfather," he said stiffly.

"Yeah, I knew that," Harry said sheepishly. Sirius took a deep breath, bracing himself for the worst. He was used to it by now. "I'd understand if you wanted to stay with your aunt and uncle," Sirius said hurriedly. "But if you . . . you know, ever wanted . . ." "Oh for Gods' sake," Alexis said in mock weariness though when he glanced back at them he was smiling. "Do you want to come live with us or not?" he asked a stunned looking Harry. His brilliant emerald eyes were the size of saucers when he looked up at his godfather. "Really? Me, live with you?" Harry exclaimed. "Have you got a house?"

Sirius gave Harry a rather sheepish look, "Well, I—er. . ." "Of course we've got a house," Alexis cut him off, waving his free hand dismissively. Harry's face split into a wide grin. Sirius felt his heart clench even as he smiled at his godson. He smiled just like James.

Finally, they reached the end of the tunnel. Crookshanks had apparently darted ahead and pressed the knot because when Snape clambered upwards there was no sound of the savage branches. Once out of the tunnel, Snape reached down and tugged Cassie up easily. Ron climbed up next and reached down to help Hermione, his face as red as his hair as he did so, followed by Remus who helped the final three up. The grounds were completely dark; the sky was filled with a sea of stars.

Alexis never realized just how beautiful it was here. Without a word, the motley crew started towards the lights of castle in the distance. Sirius kept his fingers laced with Alexis's as Harry walked on his godfather's other side, beaming with happiness. A cloud shifted. The group bathed in moonlight.

Remus froze abruptly. Snape halted and grabbed Cassie's arm in a vice like grip to stop her as well. Ron and Hermione collided with them. Sirius flung out his arm to keep his son and godson back. Alexis's heart skipped a beat.

Oh no. Remus went rigid and began to shake. No, no, no! "RUN!" Cassie screamed, shoving a terrified Ron and Hermione towards the castle. "He's not safe! RUN!"

But all anyone could do but stand there in the cold moonlight. Frozen in terror. There was a terrible snarling noise. Remus's limbs were lengthening, hair sprouting as his hands curled into paws. It was horrible, painful.

Snape raised his wand but Cassie forced his arm down. "RUN!" Cassie screamed again. The werewolf reared. Ron didn't need telling twice. Dropping Pettigrew's cage, Ron seized Hermione's hand and took off pell-mell towards the castle.

"Accio cage!" Cassie screamed, causing the cage to fly into her out stretched hands. "Harry, Alexis, go now!" she ordered. But Harry and Alexis refused to move. Alexis was not leaving his family. "But what about you--" Harry started but Sirius pushed him roughly towards castle.

"Run! Leave it to me! No, Alexis," Sirius shouted when Alexis opened his mouth to protest. "Go now! Get Peter to the castle!" And with that, Sirius was gone. He had transformed. As the werewolf reared again, snapping its massive jaws, Padfoot bounded forward.

Cassie started forward but Snape grabbed hold of her sleeve and pulled her back. "There's nothing you can do," he said, his eyes wide and terrified. Alexis watched in horror as the dog seized the werewolf about the neck and pulled it backwards. They were locked in battle, jaw to jaw, claws ripping at each other. Howling and growling, the wolf and the dog took their fight across the grounds.

Soon they were out of the sight. Alexis moved to run after them only to have Cassie grab hold of his wrist. "There's nothing we can do," she panted. "We have to get Pettigrew to the castle--" A whimper of pain rang through the darkness, a yelping.

A dog in pain. Alexis felt his heart sink. Harry set off at a run into the darkness. "Get back here, Potter!" Snape commanded but Harry just kept running. Alexis broke free from Cassie's momentarily slack grip and took off after him.

Cassie turned to face Severus. Their eyes met momentarily and suddenly he understood. "Cassie, no," he said quietly. Yet deep down, he knew he wouldn't be able to stop her. Cassie pressed the cage into her old friend's hands.

"Take him to the castle and get help," she said urgently. "I have to go after them." And without another word, Cassie let her walking stick fall to the ground and tore off into the darkness. She heard, dimly, Severus shout something but didn't stop. He would be all right, she knew, he would get help.

Although her knee was screaming in pain and her chest was on fire, Cassie kept running. She caught up with Harry and Alexis soon after. None of them had yet to notice the familiar chill filling the air around them. "There!" Alexis cried out, pointing wildly ahead. The trio pelted towards the shore of the Black Lake.

Sirius had become a man once more. He crouched on all fours with his hands clasped over his head. "Noo," he moaned. "Nooo. . .please. . .noo. . ." Harry cried out suddenly.

And that was when they saw them. Dementors, at least a hundred of them were gliding an ominous black mass towards the like. They were circling them vultures. Sirius collapsed on and fell motionless to the ground, looking as pale as death. "Think happy thoughts!" Cassie cried, dropping to her knees beside her brother and withdrawing her wand.

The fog was filling Alexis's head and it was getting harder and harder to think straight. Beside him, Harry was looking pale and unsteady on his feet. The voices had started again, louder this time as they had been magnified ten-fold. Yet somehow, through the fog and harsh, hateful voices threatening to pull him under, Alexis heard Cassie's voice. "Expecto Patronum! Don't think about the voices, just say the words! Expecto Patronum!"

Alexis forced himself to think of his father and only his father. _He was going to be okay. He was finally going to come home. They were going to be a family again._ Harry was swaying unsteadily, looking bloodless and faint.

With a shaking hand, Alexis reached out and seized hold of Harry's hand. The darkness was closing in and they were running out of time. White fog was drowning them. "We can do this!" Together, the three of them raised their wands. "EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

Cassie watched from her vantage point on the ground with mingled pride and sorrow as a silver wolf-dog, the perfect mixture of Padfoot and Moony galloped along side Prongs across the lake while a great silver butterfly soared above them. The three Patronuses circled the black shapes. The Dementors were falling back into the darkness. They were gone. Cassie was dimly aware that Harry and Alexis had collapsed onto the wet sand beside her, white as sheets and perfectly still.

They looked like they were sleeping. The wolf-dog, the stag, and the butterfly returned to the shore. Cassie had forgotten how beautiful they could be. Slowly, they gave their conjurers a polite bow before they vanished. She groped for Sirius's thin hand clasped it tightly in her own.

He was all right. Harry and Alexis were all right. They were all going to be all right. But she was tired and the pain in her knee had started with a vengeance. Cassie wasn't sure when she fell back against the sand which was surprisingly cool.

The stars twinkling above were the last thing she saw.


	38. Chapter 37: Come The Morning

* * *

Chapter Thirty-Seven: Come The Morning

The first rays of sunlight entered the tall windows of the Hospital Wing and warmed her face. Cassie hadn't slept. She didn't really want to sleep. Not that she could've slept sitting up in a chair even if she had the desire to do so. After she'd come to and been patched up; Poppy had offered her a Sleeping Draft but she turned it down much to the matron's chagrin.

The pain in her knee had subsided slightly though it burned with the slightest movement. She wondered vaguely if the cartilage had cracked further but the thought didn't concern her as much as it should have. Cassie looked at the bed where he brother was sleeping. How many times had one of them done this in their childhood? How many times had they sat by the other's bedside until dawn, waiting for them to open their eyes just to know they were okay?

The boy Cassie was certain was a Weasley and the girl with the bushy hair had reached the castle and alerted Dumbledore. Severus had given the cage to the Minister himself and then proceeded to lead Fudge, the several Aurors that had been called, Dumbledore and Poppy to the lake shore where she, Sirius, Harry, and Alexis lay unconscious. Pettigrew had been interrogated with Veritesserum. He had made a full confession. He was currently rotting in a Ministry holding cell awaiting trial.

Sirius had been pardoned and awarded sixty thousand galleons compensation from the Ministry though he would have to pay a thousand galleon fine for becoming an illegal animagus and would have to register as soon as possible. Cassie told them to take it out of the Black family vault. It was her father's money and she was glad to spend it. He was a free man at last. Cassie had the pardon tucked safely in Alexis's bag which she was holding for him while he slept. She was considering having it framed. The children were all right.

The boy and the girl whose names Cassie did not know though she was certain Alexis had mentioned them in his letters only had minor injuries but were quite shaken had been given a Sleeping Draft and were resting peacefully a few beds away. Only after the girl had returned from the bathroom sometime after arriving, hastily stuffing a thin gold chain beneath her robes and smiling that is. Cassie knew that smile; she'd seen it on Sirius's face a thousand times. That girl was definitely up to no good. Aside from being exhausted and having a few cuts and bruises, Harry and Alexis were both doing just fine. They had yet to awaken which was probably for the best as the needed to regain their strength. And part from the throbbing pain in her knee that seemed determined to get her full attention; Cassie too would make a full recovery. Sirius, however, was another story.

In addition to being malnourished, under exercised and dangerously anemic, Sirius had sustained several great gashes during his fight with Moony and had been given several large doses of Blood Replenishing Potion as he had lost a considerable amount of blood which was dangerous given how little he weighed. Being anemic also meant he was very susceptible to many dangerous infections and would probably have to spend sometime in St. Mungo's. Poppy was practically frothing at the mouth when she saw the condition he was in. Cassie hadn't seen her so angry since she and the Marauders had been trying out invisible netting spells by jumping off the Astronomy tower and that was saying something. He would also need to take several more potions when he woke and for at least a month afterwards. His recovery was going to be a long and very painful process but he would recover.

Cassie reached out and took Sirius's hand in hers. His fingers felt fragile and breakable. His hand was even thinner than hers now. She wished he would wake up just for a second so she knew he was all right. She heard the door open and turned her head slightly.

And in walked a washed out and very battered Remus Lupin. Cassie was on her feet and across the ward a moment later. Remus caught Cassie in his arms as soon as she was close enough and held her tight. She could feel him shaking beneath her arms and tightened her hold on him. "I'm fine, everyone is fine," she reassured him, "no one was bitten or even badly injured."

"Sirius? Where's Sirius? Is he all right?" Remus stammered when they drew apart, his amber eyes wide and terrified. "Sirius is just fine, Remus," Cassie reassured him, taking one of his shaking hands in hers and drawing him over to the bed where Sirius was sleeping peacefully. Remus sat down in the chair Cassie had previously vacated and tentatively smoothed the matted hair from Sirius's pallid, wasted face. He looked so small and fragile lying on the narrow hospital bed. Unable to ignore the searing pain in her knee any longer, Cassie conjured another chair and sat down beside her friend though she doubted he noticed her presence. He only had eyes for Sirius.

Cassie laid a hand gingerly on Remus's shoulder. "Fudge pardoned him last night," she said when Remus turned his head to look at her, his amber eyes hopeful but worried. "Sirius is free." Remus wasn't sure if wanted to laugh or cry but he figured there would be a time and a place for the latter, Remus chose the former. Laughing joyfully, Remus flung his arms around Cassie, ignoring the pain the movement caused. Cassie started laughing as well, really laughing for the first time in so very long and flung her arms around Remus's scarred neck.

How long they sat there laughing and holding each other, Remus wasn't sure, but slowly the two friends relinquished their hold on each other. It was only then that Remus looked around at the other occupied beds around them. "And the children, Cassie, you're sure--" "Remus, everyone is perfectly fine and resting comfortably, I promise." Sighing with relief, Remus laid back against the chair, wincing as his sore muscles came in contact with the hard wood.

Relief and guilt washed over Remus in equal measure. Gods, he could have bitten any one of them! Or worse, killed one or all of them! How could he be so stupid, so—so irresponsible! He'd been living with his condition since he was six years old, he should have had more sense than that!

How could he put his own son in that kind of danger? He didn't even allow Alexis near when he had taken the Wolfsbane for fear of a slip up! Remus had never been so ashamed, so disgusted with himself! "What about you and Severus?" he asked urgently, scanning her for visible injuries and finding none aside from her overly pale, exhausted appearance. "We're fine darling, everyone is fine," Cassie reassured him gently.

"I'll be the judge of that Cassie, not you," said a rather irritated voice behind them. Both Cassie and Remus turned just in time to see Madam Pompfry exiting her office, glaring at the both of as if they were misbehaving students and not in fact adults who had long since graduated. And as when they were students, Remus looked away sheepishly and Cassie merely smiled pleasantly. Shooting Cassie a glare that would've wilted flowers, the matron stalked over to where the two friends sat. "I thought I told you to come get me when he got here?"

Cassie ignored irritated tone and simply smiled innocently. "Would you believe me if I told you I forgot?" she asked. Though she still looked annoyed, Remus was sure he saw Poppy's lips quirk into a brief smile. "No because I've known you more than five minutes," she said briskly as Cassie laughed, motioning for Remus to follow her which he hastened to do so. Remus had known Poppy long enough to know better than to argue when she was in such state.

After Poppy had finished tending his wounds and left Remus to get some much needed rest, Cassie settled at the foot of his bed and relayed the rest of the night's events. "I'll tell you one thing darling, you must be one amazing teacher because I have never seen children that young produce a corporeal patronus before," Cassie finished, flopping across the foot of the bed and staring up at the ceiling. Remus sighed and ran a hand through his graying hair, feeling as if Cassie's words had sapped his remaining strength. He couldn't help feeling a surge of pride at his friend's kind words. James's would have been so proud of his son.

"I never taught Alexis the spell," he admitted, looking at his son who was sleeping soundly in the bed nearest his father. The fact that Alexis had been able to do the charm at all was nothing sort of stunning. Cassie however, merely shrugged. "I always said he'd do great things," she said. Remus chuckled in spite of himself and shook his head.

"You only say that because you're his aunt and you love him." "True, but I also say that because of woman's intuition which as a matter of fact is never wrong." She turned her head slightly so that their gaze met and grinned. The moment the pair locked eyes they began laughing. There was a low groan from the end of the ward.

Harry was awake. He fumbled for his glasses on the bedside table. The Boy Who Lived sat up and rubbed his head, looking around in sleepy confusion. "W—why are we here? Where's Sirius? Is everyone all right? What's going on?" he asked; his eyes wide and filled with worry. Cassie and Remus exchanged glances.

"Your turn darling, I pass the storytelling torch to you," she said, lacing her fingers behind her head. Remus chuckled slightly and settled back against his pillows. "Well Harry, I suppose the best place to start is at the beginning. . ."

* * *

Sirius was half-conscious for quite some time before he realized that he was awake. Until then, he had just laid still and unthinking, his mind wrapped in a haze of pain and exhaustion. Eventually, Sirius realized he was lying on a soft bed with excited voices talking all around him and someone beside him was holding his hand. He wanted very badly to squeeze their hand back but his arms were weak and heavy; his body uncomfortable. Presently, it occurred to Sirius to open his eyes and look around.

The first thing Sirius saw was light. Blinding, golden sunlight poured in through the tall windows that covered the walls. He'd seen these windows before; he was in the hospital wing. The next thing Sirius saw once his eyes had adjusted to the sudden brightness was his son.

Alexis was perched on his bed, looking pensive and worried but otherwise unharmed after the previous night's events. "Alexis?" he croaked. His voice sounded weak and hoarse, rough as sandpaper. Alexis jerked in surprise at the sound of his name, only to smile at his father in a mixture of joy and relief a second. "Welcome back," Alexis said softly.

He squeezed his father's hand tightly in own. "How are you feeling?" "Tired," Sirius said groggily. Alexis smiled softly as relief visible washed over him. "Is he awake?" an urgent voice asked from somewhere to Sirius's left.

Alexis nodded and a second later Sirius had the anxious but happy face of his godson looking down at him. Harry's friends, the bushy haired girl and lanky red haired boy were beside his bed a moment later. Thankfully, all of them were unharmed. Three apprehensive voices spoke at once. "Are you all right?"

"Do you need anything?" "Should I get Madam Pompfry?" "Let him breathe would you," Alexis cut off the barrage of questions. Sirius was grateful, in his current state it was hard to focus on one person let alone three. "Remus, Cassie?" Sirius asked hoarsely as he struggled to push himself into a sitting position but he was simply too weak.

They weren't in his line of vision and he couldn't hear their voices. "We're right here darling," Cassie said but he still couldn't see them. Alexis and Harry reached out quickly and helped him sit up so that he was propped up against his pillows. He sat up just as Remus helped Cassie, who was limping rather heavily across the room to his bed. Both looked as if they hadn't slept but were otherwise unharmed and looked as if their smiles couldn't get any wider.

Remus helped Cassie settle on the foot of the bed and pulled up a chair to sit at his bedside. Sirius sighed with relief at the sight of them. They were all right. A sudden terrible thought occurred to Sirius and his heart pounded fearfully. Oh Gods were they coming to get him?

Something of his fear must've shown on his face because everyone moved immediately to reassure him. "Professor Snape got Pettigrew to the Ministry," Harry said quickly. "He made a full confession," the girl added. "He's in a Ministry holding cell as we speak awaiting trial," the red haired boy put in cheerfully. "Yes, because apparently confessed murderers get trials but accused ones do not," Cassie said in annoyance.

Sirius didn't dare believe what he was hearing. It seemed too good to be true. This all had to be some wonderful dream. Alexis fumbled with the bag resting against his hip. "The Minister pardoned you last night, you're cleared of all charges," Alexis said, producing the pardon from within his bag.

Sirius took the slip of parchment from his son and read it slowly, savoring each word. Free. He was a free man. Unable to put the joy he was feeling into words, Sirius yanked Alexis into his arms.

Alexis flung his own arms around Sirius and held him just as tight. And for the first time in twelve years, Sirius laughed, really laughed. Still keeping Alexis pressed close; Sirius reached out with his other arm and grabbed Harry as well. The Boy Who Lived clung desperately to his godfather, making up for every embrace he had been denied at the Dursleys'. Gods, he loved them so much and he was never going to let them go!

Slowly, Sirius released his son and godson and turned to look at his best friend and sister. Cassie looked exactly as she had that terrible night though her eyes seemed to have aged twenty years. Her smile too seemed weary, burdened. She was the same but completely different. Remus was gaunt and much too pale.

His beautiful brown hair was liberally streaked with grey and his handsome, scarred face was lined with worries beyond his years. Remus's amber eyes, however, were filled with the same gentleness and love that Sirius remembered. Was it possible that love, that gentleness was still directed at him, after all these years? Surely Remus had moved on; found someone else, someone better to love. That thought wounded Sirius much deeper than he thought it still could.

For the longest time, none of the spoke, they simply looked at each other. And then, slowly, Cassie reached out and wrapped her arms around her brother. Sirius clasped her close, barely fighting back his tears. Cassie. His baby sister.

When they drew apart, there were visible tears in Cassie's sapphire eyes for the first time in thirteen years. With trembling hands and a loving smile, Cassie smoothed the hair from his face just like she used to do when they were children. Sirius and Cassie both burst out laughing at the same time. "I missed you Cassie," he said softly. "I missed you too darling," Cassie whispered, giving him a watery smile.

While Cassie wiped her eyes on her sleeve, Remus leaned over and without preamble embraced Sirius long and hard. Neither of them said a word. They didn't need to; words weren't needed between them. Sirius flung around his arms around his best friend and lover, clutching his desperately. Gods, he missed this man so damn much!

Whether a minute passed or ten, Sirius didn't know but slowly the pair drifted apart. Remus was smiling and looked to be on the verge of tears and Sirius knew he probably looked the same. "It's good to see you again, Moony," Sirius said, grinning. Remus returned the smile at the mention of his old nickname. Sirius doubted anyone had called him that in years.

"It's good to have you back, Padfoot."

* * *

"Do you think we should wake her?" Sirius asked, his concerned gaze fixed on the sleeping form of his younger sister. "I mean she can't be very comfortable like that." It was well after midnight when Cassie finally fell asleep, stretched out on the sofa in Remus's private quarters. Remus chuckled slightly as he reentered the sitting room after going to retrieve an extra blanket from his wardrobe. Sirius had always been overprotective of Cassie, not that Remus could blame him given what he knew of their upbringing and it seemed those feelings had increased over the years.

"She's fine Sirius," Remus reassured him, draping the blanket over Cassie. "Besides, Cassie used to sleep on the sofa all the when you first moved into your flat." Sirius nodded reluctantly, though his eyes still took in her overly pale appearance with concern. Remus didn't have the heart to tell him that Cassie had often looked like that in the last thirteen years. "Come on Sirius," Remus said gently, lying a hand on the animagus's thin shoulder.

Sirius nodded, following Remus back to his bedroom and pulled the door shut behind them. The two lovers were alone for the first time in twelve years. "Do you think the kids are okay?" Sirius asked as he settled on the foot of the bed, startled that the surface was so soft. His body was too used to the hard floor of Azkaban. Remus smiled slightly at his friend's worry, it had taken several long minutes of pleading to get Madam Pompfry to let the three of them leave the hospital wing.

But in the end it was Cassie, cunning Slytherin princess that she was, that got them released. The kids, however, were another story. No amount of pleading or flattery was going to get them out of there any later than Monday morning. And from the death glare the matron shot them, the two Marauders and Cassie knew better than to protest further. Apparently, so did the kids because all four of them immediately stopped protesting and transformed into model patients.

Although the group had spent the entire day together in the hospital wing, Alexis and Harry had been (understandably) reluctant to let Sirius go. They had only agreed to let him go when Sirius promised to come back first thing in the morning. "Don't worry Sirius, Poppy will look after them," Remus reassured him as he kicked off his battered and scuffed shoes. Sirius smiled sheepishly, "I'm being stupid aren't I?" Remus sat down beside Sirius on the bed and wrapped an arm around his thin shoulders.

Sirius half-excepted someone to jump out and say that there had been a mistake, that this was all some sort of wonderful dream. He still couldn't believe this was really happening. That he had his family back. That he was free. It just seemed too good to be true.

Remus smiled lovingly over Sirius and sat down beside him on the bed, wrapping an arm around his thin shoulders. "No, you're being a parent and a godfather," he assured him, "it's your job to worry." Sirius's gaunt face burst into a wide smile, making him look ten years younger. He would be all right, Remus was sure. It would take some time yes, but Sirius would be all right.

Sirius needed some feeding up and sun but mostly he needed love. And Remus was more than willing to give that to him. The weary lycanthrope looked sideways at his companion. Sirius had shed his ragged prison robes and was dressed in an old pair of Remus's pajamas that had been magically stretched to fit him as he was the taller of the two. They were swimming on his fragile frame.

Sirius had showered and shaved though his hair still hung to his elbows. He looked so different. It had been so long. Gods only knew what horrors he had lived these last twelve years. But deep in those sad, haunted eyes, Remus saw his best, his oldest friend.

The man he had fallen in love with.

Tentatively, Sirius raised one shaky, fragile hand and ever so gently caressed Remus's scarred cheek. "Oh Sirius," Remus said softly, throwing his arms around the wasted animagus and clasped him so close he wasn't sure whose heart he felt beating. Twelve years of pain, confusion, and heartache fell away as Remus held Sirius as tight as he could. Sirius's fragile arms came around the Lycan, pulling him close as he rested his head on Remus's shoulder. Remus could have cried, he was crying.

He had Sirius back, after thirteen years, they were together again. It was a miracle. "I never thought I'd hold you again," Remus whispered against Sirius's soft dark head, soaking his raven hair with tears. As Remus held Sirius, he felt his lover begin to tremble and realized a second later, Sirius too was crying. "I love you, I never stopped loving you," Sirius kept whispering into Remus's now damp shoulder.

Remus felt joy he never thought he'd know again. "I love you too, Gods I love you so much," Remus said, his voice easily as horse as Sirius's ruined one. Sirius pulled back, his much too thin face streaked with tears but tentatively hopeful. "You—you really still love me?" he said softly, pleadingly. "Of course I do, I'll always love you," Remus tenderly reassured him, brushing a tendril of raven hair that was stuck to Sirius's wet cheek behind his ear.

Sirius's wasted, handsome face burst into a wide smile, making him look like the boy Remus had fallen in love with all those years ago; the man who had kissed Remus on that fateful Halloween night. "I love you, Remus," Sirius said softly. Remus threaded his fingers through that silken mess of raven hair, lowering Sirius's face to meet his and brought their lips together. Sirius wrapped his arms around Remus and pulled him closer still. Sirius's lips were soft, almost like a girl's.

After all this time it still surprised Remus how soft they were. Remus broke the tender kiss only when he needed to take a breath. Though his heart was pounding neither of them was breathing hard. Keeping his arms around his lover, Remus leaned forward and touched their foreheads together. Sirius was smiling softly, lovingly as he hugged Remus close.

Remus returned the smile, caressing the soft hair beneath his fingers. "I love you, Remus," Sirius whispered again. "I love you too Sirius," Remus reassured him.


	39. Chapter 38: The Greatest Mistake

Chapter Thirty-Eight: The Greatest Mistake 

As Remus had so few belongings, packing was as simple as a few wand waves. His trunk had been packed and sent down to the Entrance Hall so the only things left to pack were a few personal items and the contents of his bookshelf and desk. And with three people assisting in the process, things were moving rather quickly. "You could fight it," Cassie said, emptying the contents of a desk drawer into Remus's battered case. She'd been saying that ever since Dumbledore had given them the news.

"I'd lose," Remus replied simply as he got his grades in order for Minerva to pick up once he was gone. Truthfully, this wasn't something he wanted to fight. It was painful, yes, to resign from a position he loved but necessary. The owls from outraged parents would start arriving this time tomorrow and after the events of two nights ago, Remus was in agreement with them. He could have bitten or killed any one of the people with him that night and such a risk could not be taken again.

Remus smiled at the look on Cassie's face. The idea of giving up a fight, even a losing one was utterly unthinkable to her. It was one of the things Remus loved best about her. "How did the Ministry find out anyway?" Alexis asked as he carried an arm load of books to Remus's desk and placed them neatly in the case. Aside from Remus himself, Alexis has taken the news the hardest.

This year had confirmed Remus's worst fear about the way his son was treated at Hogwarts and the idea of leaving Alexis alone and unprotected wasn't exactly appealing. Still, he held onto the hope that things would change now that Sirius had been publicly exonerated. Maybe now Alexis would feel more at ease with his peers and be able to finally make some friends. "It was probably the fact that I didn't come up to the castle with the rest of you after the whole debacle," Remus explained, draping a comforting arm around the teenager's shoulders. "The rest would have been easy enough to check."

The Werewolf Registry was, after all, a public record. It would have taken all of two seconds to look up his name. Cassie made a sound like an angry cat but said nothing. "That doesn't make it right," Alexis said somberly. Smiling softly, Remus gave Alexis a brief but firm squeeze before releasing him.

Alexis smiled softly albeit sadly up at his father before moving to continue emptying the bookcase. Sirius was smiling softly at the pair from where he was helping Cassie empty the desk. His raven hair was trimmed to his shoulders and he at last had some clothes of his own which Cassie had been kind enough to pick up for him when she went home to get some clean clothes for herself. Although the clothes were swimming on his thin frame, Sirius looked substantially more comfortable and so much more at ease. He wore a nice set of heavy, plain black robes over a long sleeve black shirt and blue jeans held up with a thick leather belt.

She had even managed to find his old shoes, a very battered pair of black Converse high-tops. Sirius tended to wear shoes until they were falling apart. Remus smiled sideways at his lover though they were not yet again lovers but he knew they would be in time. Sirius smiled back though his eyes were filled with sadness. "Isn't there anything Dumbledore can do? Intervene somehow?" Sirius offered but Remus shook his head,

"He already tried but at this point there wasn't anything he could do," Remus explained. And even if there was, Remus wouldn't have wanted him to. The four of them and Harry had thirteen years apart to make up for. Sirius shook his head sadly. "This isn't right," he said sadly.

"No, it's not," Remus agreed heavily as he reached across the desk to grasp Sirius's hand. "But we've all got a lifetime to make up for," he said, gripping the fragile hand tightly. Sirius's smile widened as his eyes drifted from to Remus to son and to his sister. "Yeah," he said softly. Alexis, who had finished with the bookcase and was currently bent over the desk examining the Marauder's Map, smiled happily at his parents.

"We've got company," he said, tapping the map. Reluctantly, Remus released Sirius's hand as the latter looked over Alexis's shoulder at the map. "It's Harry," Sirius said cheerfully, the relief obvious on his face. No sooner had the words left his mouth than Harry appeared in the doorway, staring at the scene before him in shock.

"I've just seen Hagrid," he said in dismay, "he said you'd resigned. It's not true is it?" Alexis fought and nearly lost the urge to roll his eyes. _No, we're just packing because we enjoy it._ "I'm afraid it is," Remus said kindly. "B—but why?" Harry stammered, coming into the office at last.

"The Ministry learned of my condition and they feel—as do I after what happened that it is not safe for me to teach here. No, Alexis," Remus added as the teenager opened his mouth. "I could have bitten any of you . . . That must never happen again." "But the odds of something like that happening again--" Cassie protested but Remus cut her off. "It's not a risk worth taking," he said, emptying the last drawer. "You're the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher we've ever had!" Harry said urgently and for once Alexis agreed with him.

"Don't go!" Remus smiled sadly but shook his head. Harry glanced over at Sirius. "Are you leaving too?" he asked, looking stricken. "You'll see us again at the end of term," Sirius quickly reassured his godson. "We'll be at King's Cross the second you two get off the train."

Although Harry looked slightly reassured, he looked no less miserable. "Can't you please stay," he pleaded, "Dumbledore said you were more than welcome here." Sirius smiled softly and shook his head. "I've got to straighten out my affairs and I can't do that from here," Sirius explained, draping an arm around Harry's shoulders. Reluctantly, miserably, Harry nodded.

Smiling reassuringly, Sirius gave Harry a brief but firm embrace. "You'll see us again before you know it," Sirius promised. Harry nodded, still looking downcast. Remus placed his last few books in the case and turned to Harry while Cassie closed the drawers with a flick of her wand. "Here—I brought this from the Shrieking Shack," he said, picking up the Invisibility Cloak from his desk and handing it to Harry.

"And," Sirius said, picking up the Marauder's Map with a flourish. "We feel in the interest of future marauding, it's time to pass this onto the next generation." Harry took the map with a grin. "I'm the two of you and your friends will find many uses for it," Sirius said with a mischievous smile as he looked from his son to his godson. Harry's smile flattered when Sirius's gaze shifted to Alexis and he looked away guiltily.

Alexis too found himself intently examining the woodwork above his father's head. Right, Alexis hang out with Harry and his friends. It's not like they'd even want him anyway. A knock on the door jerked Alexis back to reality as Harry quickly stuffed the cloak and the map out of sight. Cassie bristled visibly as Professor Dumbledore stepped into the office.

He smiled pleasantly at the five people before him. "Your carriage will be arriving shortly," he said. "Thank you, Headmaster," Remus said kindly, closing his case. "If you don't mind, I'd like a word before you go about Harry's living arrangements." "I think I'll give you a moment," Cassie said, taking up her walking stick.

She then approached her former Headmaster. "Thank you for your kind hospitality," Cassie said formally but politely. Dumbledore's twinkling gaze darkened sadly though he gave Cassie a small smile and inclined his head politely. "You are always welcome here," he said. Cassie said nothing though she gave a brief non-committal nod.

"I'll wait for you in the hallway," Cassie said. "See you in a bit, Cass," Sirius said. Cassie bade the Headmaster a polite goodbye and disappeared into the hallway, pulling the door shut behind her.

* * *

Severus had just finished grading the last of his final exams when someone knocked softly on his office door. "Enter," he said, setting the final paper aside. He wondered how it was possible that his students seemed to get stupider with each passing year. To his added annoyance, whoever had been foolish enough to disturb him had yet to announce their presence. But when Severus looked up all his anger and irritation faded away because there in the doorway stood Cassie Black.

And she was smiling. Severus hadn't seen her smile like that in so long. She had been smiling just like that when they first met so long ago on the Hogwarts Express. Cassie was leaving soon, he knew, she was going back to London with Black and the werewolf. He would probably never see her again.

"I suppose you're leaving now," he said, getting to his feet and stepping out from behind the desk. "As soon as the carriage arrives." Severus gave a curt nodded, brushing a curtain of lank hair from his face. He should have never turned away from her. He should have never left her side.

"I wanted to thank you for not, you know, murdering my brother," Cassie said with a grin. Severus struggled to maintain his cool composure; to not smile at her. "And for coming back for me." He inclined his head politely. _I would always come back for you. _

But he didn't dare say it. He would never say it. "I suppose I should be thanking you as well, the Minister informed me I shall be receiving an Order of Merlin, Second Class for my services." He'd received the letter this morning. Cassie smiled and shrugged, "For what? I merely relayed what you did for us." Cassie chuckled slightly and gazed around the dimly lit dungeon room. "You know darling, if things had been different. . ." "Cassie," Severus said softly, closing his eyes as if in pain as the memories rose unabated to the surface.

It was too painful to think of such things, especially now. When Severus finally opened his eyes, he found those beautiful sapphire pools looking back at him. Cassie had always been so beautiful. "I should probably get going," she said after a heartbeat of silence. "Yes, I suppose you should," he said simply.

And then, before Severus had the chance to stop her or move away, Cassie closed the gap between them and wrapped her arms around him. For a moment he hesitated then in a slow, pained movement returned the embrace. He had forgotten how good it felt to have her in his arms. No, that was a lie, he had never forgotten. The two old friends stood like that for the less than a minute before drifting slowly apart.

"Goodbye Cassie." It had taken him ten long years to work up the courage to say those words. Cassie paused half out the door and looked at Severus over her shoulder. "No, not goodbye, just see you later," she said with smile. And with a final wave, Cassie closed the door behind her.

For the longest time, Severus simply stared at the door. When he at last returned to his desk and the essays that made him wonder whether his students were capable of learning anything, Severus made no attempt to resume his grading. It would only depress him further. Instead, seemingly against his will, Severus unlocked his very bottom desk drawer. It held only one item, a thick photo album bound in dark emerald green leather embossed with a large ornate silver S.

A gift from his mother. For pictures of all the friends he was going to make at Hogwarts. What a laugh that was. Sweeping the disappointing papers aside, Severus gently placed the album on his desk and opened it. He found what he was looking for at once.

And though he had braced himself for the sight of it, the shredded feeling was almost too much to bear. There was Cassie, laughing as her hair streamed behind her in elegant rippling waves in the wind. The green ribbon holding her hair in its usual braid had blown away just before he snapped the picture. That's why she was laughing. She was always laughing then, always smiling.

Severus slammed the photo album shut with all his might. The sound reverberated through his vast dungeon office. There was a reason he never looked at those pictures. He dropped the photo album back into the drawer with a loud thud.

It landed heavily atop a strip of green ribbon.

* * *

"There is no need to see us to the gate, Headmaster," Remus was saying as they stepped into the hall; "we can manage." Alexis could tell his father wanted to leave as soon as possible. He didn't blame him. Sirius thanked Dumbledore and shook his hand. "It's these four amazing people you should be thanking Sirius, not I," the famed wizard said, smiling at Harry, Alexis, Remus, and Cassie, who had just returned just over Sirius's shoulder.

Only Harry and Remus smiled back. "Goodbye then, Remus, Sirius, Cassiopeia," Dumbledore said somberly. He actually looked truly sorry to see him go. Remus shifted his suitcase so that he and Dumbledore could shake hands. Cassie made no attempt to do so and instead she took the empty grindylow tank from Alexis.

And with that, the four of them with Harry in tow, made their way out of the castle and into the sunlight. It was nearly summer. The sun was shining and the sky was cloudless. A carriage was waiting just outside the gates. Alexis felt a horrible sense of loss seeing Remus's trunk already loaded onto the back.

He was losing his parents, just temporarily but he was still losing them. When they reached the carriage, Sirius took the tank from Cassie and loaded it atop the trunk, making sure both were secure. Remus turned to Harry and smiled. Well—goodbye, Harry. It had been a pleasure teaching you and I'll see you at the end of term," he said. "Goodbye, professor," Harry said somberly.

Remus smiled kindly albeit sadly. While Sirius and Harry said their goodbyes, Remus turned to Alexis, smiling softly. Before his father could say a word, Alexis flung his arms around him. He was in no mood for a student teacher goodbye. And from the way his father embraced him in return, neither was he.

They never said a word. The moment they drew apart, Sirius yanked Alexis into his arms. "It's just for awhile, just until the end of term," Sirius said softly, clutching the boy close. Alexis wasn't sure which of them he was trying to reassure. "I know, dad," he said softly.

"I love you, I love you so much," Sirius said softly but firmly. "I love you too, dad." Gods, it felt so wonderful to say that. Slowly, reluctantly, they drew apart. Cassie smiled softly at her nephew. "Well go on then," she laughed, holding out her free arm. Laughing, Alexis closed the gap between them and hugged her close. "I love you, Cassie." "I love you too, darling," she said softly. Once the goodbyes had been said, Sirius helped his sister into the carriage and climbed in after her, followed shortly by Remus.

Remus shot the two teenagers one last smile before he shut the carriage door. Alexis stood in place, watching the carriage long after it vanished from sight. Harry was beside him and in that moment they were once again temporarily united. The Boy Who Lived opened his mouth to say something but Alexis was already half way up the drive. The grounds were filled with students lying around on the grass sunbathing, laughing and reading the Daily Prophet.

Some called out to him, some even waved. Alexis pretended he hadn't heard them and continued towards the castle. He thought it would have made him happy but truthfully, it didn't. They were the same people they had been before his father's innocence had made headlines. His tormentors.

His father was vindicated. He was free. That was all that mattered, not what they thought of him. Alexis stepped out of the blinding sunlight and into the cool dimness of the castle. Yes, they were exactly the same and so was he.

The only difference was that Alexis was happier. Alexis was just past the giant hourglasses that recorded the House points when he spotted Draco Malfoy emerging from the Great Hall. Simultaneously the two of the stopped in their tracks and simply stared at each like deer caught in the wand light. "I suppose they've left, your father and your aunt," Malfoy said rather stiffly. Alexis barely stifled a laugh and nodded, struggling to keep his face neutral.

"I guess I should thank you, you know, for everything you did for me this year," Alexis said sincerely. Two years ago if someone had told Alexis he would be thanking Draco Malfoy for anything, he'd have laughed in their face. Now, Alexis couldn't imagine anyone he should be thanking more. Malfoy simply snorted, sneering at Alexis across the way. "As if I'd ever do anything for you!" he snapped, stalking haughtily past the smaller Gryffindor.

He never so much as looked back. And Alexis, rather than being annoyed or even angry, burst out laughing right there in the Entrance Hall.

* * *

From his office windows, Albus watched Sirius, Cassiopeia, Remus, Harry, and Alexander make their way across the vast green sea of the Hogwarts grounds towards their carriage at the gates. Even leaning on her walking stick, Cassiopeia carried herself with the regal bearing of her noble upbringing. The same upbringing that had damned her and her eldest brother. As much as he hated to admit it, even more so now, when Albus had looked at the pair of them, the beautiful, ever laughing siblings all he had seen was the dark wizarding line they had come from. How foolish he had been, how blind!

He should have seen their love, their devotion to each other and their friends. Sirius would have never betrayed James. He would have died first. But Albus had been blinded by their bloodline, their dark heritage. Albus sighed heavily, feeling everyday his age.

He had failed them all. Lily, James, and Harry. Sirius, Cassiopeia, Remus, and Alexander. He had made so many terrible mistakes, caused so much unnecessary grief. A sickening wave of guilt pulled Albus under.

His anger, his bias had condemned an innocent man to hell on earth, damned his sister and his son to twelve years of hatred and cruelty. Sirius, Cassiopeia, and Remus were gone; their carriage had turned the corner and vanished from sight. Albus had hoped their disappearance would banish his guilt but it didn't. If anything, it only made it so much worse. Sighing heavily, Albus sank wearily into his desk chair.

Resting his head on his hands, Albus Dumbledore contemplated the greatest mistake he ever made.


	40. Chapter 39: Of Home and Forgiveness

Chapter Thirty-Nine: Of Home and Forgiveness 

Exam grades came out on the final day of term. To no one's surprise, Alexis and Hermione were top in their year yet again. Gryffindor, meanwhile, thanks to their spectacular performance in the Quidditch final, had won the House championship for the third year in a raw. Alexis attended the end of term feast for the first time simply because he knew his parents would have wanted him to. Amid the decorations of scarlet and gold, Alexis found noise rather overwhelming, even annoying.

He left before dessert. The laughter of his classmates followed him all the way up to the tower. Alexis smiled to himself as he packed in the comfortable silence. He was happier than everyone in Great Hall combined. He had his family back.

Alexis was nearly finished packing when the dormitory door opened and the golden trio entered. All of them looked rather sheepish. "You missed the end of the feast," Hermione said finally, wringing her hands nervously. "It was a bit loud for my taste," he said honestly, placing some neatly folded clothes into his trunk. "Though that's probably my fault since I've never gone before," Alexis added thoughtfully.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione shifted uneasily, looking anywhere but at him. "Listen Alexis, we're—we're really sorry, for everything," Harry apologized while Ron and Hermione nodded in agreement. "We shouldn't have treated you the way we did, it was completely unfair," Hermione urgently, pleadingly. "We were bang out of order," Ron said glumly. For several moments Alexis simply stared at them.

What the hell was he supposed to do now? No one had ever apologized for their treatment of him before. "Thank you," Alexis said finally, unable to think of anything else to say. He could tell from their expressions that the trio was disappointed, especially Harry. Alexis wasn't ready to forgive them, not yet.

He needed some time. Hopefully, they would understand that. "How long did you know Lupin was a werewolf?" Hermione asked in a thinly veiled attempt at breaking the awkward silence that had fallen in wake of Alexis's words, "it took me ages to figure it out." Alexis bristled as he loaded the last of his books into his trunk. He was still angry at her for exposing his dad.

"I've always known," Alexis said as he closed his trunk with a snap. "What do you mean you've always--" "He raised me, I've always known," Alexis clarified and settled atop his trunk. Their jaws almost reached the floor as three pairs of eyes widened in shock. "Lupin raised. . .but your aunt. . ." Harry stammered. "Cassie is my godmother, Remus is my godfather. They both raised me," Alexis explained. It wasn't a lie but it wasn't exactly the truth. "That's why you tried to protect him," Hermione whispered and Alexis nodded. For the longest time, the three friends simply stared at him in stunned silence. "He's a good man, one of the best people I've ever known," Alexis said finally.

"And people can't see that because of what he is." Hermione flushed with shame while Ron's face burned as red as his hair. Alexis was suddenly very eager for the conversation to end. It wasn't doing anyone any good. "Thank you again for apologizing," he said.

When all else fails, be polite. "It was very kind of you." The boys opened their mouths to say something more but Hermione shook his head. The girl certainly was perceptive. With a meaningful look from Hermione, both Harry and Ron murmured an uneasy "You're welcome."

Forgiveness would come in time, Alexis was certain. But for now, at least in his opinion, this was enough.

* * *

"So what do you think of the house?" Remus asked as he climbed into bed that evening. Their bed. Their bedroom. Their home. Sirius looked up from where he had been staring intently at the fire and smiled softly, almost sadly.

"It's bigger than I remember," he said lightly, though his expression was sad. "You've really made a beautiful home here, Moony." Remus frowned in concern and moved sit beside his lover. "Then why do you look so sad?" he asked gently. Sirius shrugged, drawing his knees to his chest.

"I'm not sad, it's just—when I bought this place for us, I always imagined how happy we'd be here," he said quietly, "and now I just don't see my place here." Remus reached out and yanked Sirius into his arms, holding him close. His body felt thin and fragile against Remus's chest. "Home isn't something artificial, like bricks and mortar, home is where the people you love are," Remus said gently. He tilted Sirius's face upward so that their eyes met.

"We are a family, Sirius. You're always going to have a place here," Remus said, smoothing the hair from his face. Sirius's face burst into a loving smile and threw his arms around Remus, pressing him close. "I love you, Remus," he said softly. Feeling tears burn in his eyes, Remus clasped Sirius close. "I love you too, Sirius."

Sirius sat up and framed Remus's face in his hands, kissing him long and hard. Remus hugged the animagus close, returning the kiss avidly. Slowly, as they drew apart, Remus and Sirius laid down together on the soft bed. As they moved into each other's arms, their eyes never left each other. Remus pulled the heavy patchwork quilt over them as Sirius pressed up against his chest.

Sirius took Remus's hand in his, kissing his fingers. Remus smiled and cuddled him close. Gods, he missed this! "I love you," Sirius murmured sleepily. "I love you too," Remus whispered in the darkness.

Both of them drifted off to sleep soon after, feeling more at peace than they had in years.

* * *

It took longer to pack than when she left Grimmauld Place. The flat looked vast and empty without her things occupying the space. It took four days to pack up fourteen years. The crates and the furniture had been shipped to the house yesterday. Her most important things: the six photo albums, the silver framed photographs, the her sole jewelry box that contained every piece of jewelry she'd acquired, a silver music box with her initials engraved in the top, the small metal statues of the Eiffel tower and Big Ben, three shoeboxes overflowing with letters and postcards, and the china doll dressed like a fairy Sirius had given her when she broke her arm when she was ten as well as the basket containing a highly irritated Salazar were traveling with her.

All of these things had been magically shrunk and packed into Cassie's upright red suitcase printed with tiny white elephants on wheels. The suitcase was at her side, ready to go and Salazar's basket was balanced under her arm. When she'd first moved here, everything she owned fit into her school trunk and a small brown leather case with a yellow celluloid handle. Cassie gave the case to Dylan when she'd left the country thirteen years ago. Dylan hadn't even owned a suitcase.

The red suitcase was from Dylan, a gift for her twenty-fifth birthday. It was the first (and only) thing she'd ever received by Muggle post. Cassie looked around the flat one last time. It had been her home for fourteen long years. Now it was empty, desolate. It wasn't a home anymore, it was just a flat. Although, Cassis mused as she took up her suitcase handle, home wasn't so much a place as it was people and memories.

So long as you had those memories and the people you loved around you, you were home. The Muggle cab outside hooked twice. Cassie took one final look around the empty flat and smiled. Dragging her suitcase behind her and hitching Salazar's basket securely beneath her arm, Cassie closed the door behind her with a snap one final time.


	41. Epilogue: King's Cross

Epilogue: King's Cross 

"Alexis, Alexis wake up." Alexis's grey eyes snapped open and he blinked them blearily. The train was slowly down. They were nearly to King's Cross. Alexis sat up and glanced around the compartment.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione had already shed their school robes. At Hermione's insistence, Alexis had shared their compartment on the train ride back to London. Normally, he would have refused but given as every other compartment was full, he didn't have much choice. Whereas Fred and George were kind enough to leave him to his own devices, the trio had insisted on involving him in all that they did, forcing awkward conversation the whole time. Eventually, because in Alexis's opinion the Gods were merciful, he had fallen asleep shortly the food trolley had arrived.

Thankfully they had decided to let him stay asleep. The scarlet engine came to a slow halt just as Alexis pulled off his robes and stuffed them into his trunk. "Well come on then," Harry said eagerly. He had already left the compartment. Alexis couldn't help but smile. He couldn't remember Harry ever looking so happy.

Together, the four of them stepped through the barrier and into the crowded station. Alexis saw them first while Harry was saying goodbye to Ron and Hermione. His parents and Cassie were standing near a newsstand, laughing and talking animatedly seemingly heedless of the stares they were receiving. It made Alexis angry that people were still looking at his father like a caged animal that might attack at any moment but those feelings took a backseat. He hadn't seen Cassie laugh like that in years.

It was amazing too, the way laughter transformed his father's face, it was like someone ten years later was smiling through the starved mask. Remus too seemed lighter and so much happier. After Harry had bid goodbye to Hermione and the Weasley clan, he came to stand next to Alexis and looked around eagerly. "Relax Harry, they're right there," Alexis said, nodding his head in the direction of the newsstand. Remus had just spotted them and was smiling welcomingly.

Sirius took a less subtle approach and began waving like mad while grinning from ear to ear while Cassie threw her head back and laughed. Alexis laughed and shook his head while Harry positively beamed. And so together, Harry and Alexis pulled their trolleys towards the newsstand.

And their family.


End file.
